I thought the penalty had to be a dive. There’s no way Efe would clatter into the player like that, I was sure! The error wasn’t even schoolboy stuff. Ambrose and Mikael Lustig were caught square-on, the latter not goal-side of his man, and therefore unable to see the run. The incident is symptomatic of an error-prone season for the defence.
Referee Craig Thomson got that one right but missed Craig Gordon being held at County’s second goal. Unlike Efe’s split-second intervention, this was a clear and persistent infringement and should have been spotted. County can also consider themselves unfortunate to concede a penalty for an awkward hand ball, and Stefan Johansen should have received a red card for his late lunge at an opponent.
Notwithstanding the foul for County’s second, they then got two free headers within 8 yards of our goal at a corner kick. The man-to-man system is in no way better than our zonal system if your players cannot follow the flight of the ball.
I’ve said often enough before that teams can steamroller straight through the middle of us – when we play so expansively, we need real authority to control things in the middle of the park. The authority coefficient visibly increased when Scott Brown arrived but not sufficiently so.
Erik Sviatchenko looked the part when he came on. Always available for a pass, keen to take a touch, and regularly played 30-yard forward balls. It is no great stretch to suggest he could be our best defender.
What did we learn from yesterday? Primarily that we’re not good enough in many positions:
Kieran Tierney continues to shine as an 18-year-old left back. Sviatchenko and Simunovic may establish a solid central defensive partnership, but we have little more to boast about in defence.
When we are up against a disorganised Hamilton Accies, our nippy wee guys will do a lot of damage, but not every game suits nippy wee guys. The qualifiers won’t.
This is not the time to ask questions about the manager. I don’t know who it was in the media who first suggested he needed to win the treble to keep his job, but it’s absurd.
We’ve won the treble 3 times in the 70 seasons it’s been available. The league title is a vastly easier competition post Rangers liquidation, but very few times in those 67 seasons we didn’t win the treble did Rangers deny us both cups. This result is no worse than our previous two exists in this competition to Morton and St Mirren, or countless before them.
The first thing you do when you get rid of your manager is attempt to recruit a better talent. Can you imagine who would be interested in a job where you had to win the club’s fourth treble in your first two seasons or face the sack? It’s no way to run a club and would guarantee a downward spiral.
The manager’s strategic job right now is to improve the squad this month, build a defensive unit as sold as we had last season, and identify targets for the summer to prepare for the Champions League qualifiers. None of this would improve by lurching off plan right now.
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Afternoon all.
Paul.
The manager will continue to struggle to”build a solid defensive unit ” ,until such times that he recognises the flaws in his own preferred system.
The definition of insanity springs to mind.
Being hard to beat isn’t a sin.
Let’s start at Pittodrie. HH
Sadly our Corporate direction appears to be hindering the club not enhancing, our astute business acumen is all about making the individual a modest return on investment, whilst others are rewarded handsomely for the strategy
Timaloy,
Had a look at the stats for Rasmussen.I was indeed a bit hasty.The boy only started two games and scored twice.Cannae argue with that.
P67 I’m assuming you’ve saw footage of Efe clipping the RC forward, I’v yet to see clear footage of any contact yet, any chance of having a look at the one you saw? Because some are saying it was knee contact, some saying heels? As I said I haven’t seen any proof yet?
CKR deal done, apparently.
TD67
It was knee to knee as he cut acroos ambrose, same guy followed this wi the billy dodds hug of the goalkeeper for the second.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 1ST FEBRUARY 2016 12:08 PM
That awkward moment when you remember when Craig Thomson made an important decision, in an important game, in favour of Celtic.
No? – Neither do I.
*****
You mean apart from the penalty he gifted us? Score that and we’d have had a wee chance. We played well for 10 minutes yesterday, then we were crap. That wasn’t the ref’s fault.
#Celtic have completed the loan signing of Patrick Roberts on an 18 month deal
Paul67 1ST FEBRUARY 2016 12:30 PM
Ellboy, aye. Ciftci was scouted thoroughly. He was the main target. I didn’t fancy him so why did the club?
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/not-good-enough-lurching-off-plan/comment-page-3/#comments
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Can’t answer that one I’m afraid but whoever was responsible, shouldn’t be asked for their opinion again. Shocking signing.
TD
There was Clear knee contact which I spotted in real time. 100% penalty. 100% stupidity 100% Ambrose
Colin Kazim-Richards is 1. 85345346346573567356m tall [approx]; of which 1.7 m is Kazim, and 1.1584372983452398047cm is Richards.
Angelgabriel
We can’t defend because the mentality is to get the ball, and score.
The full back positions are abandoned in the cavalry charge and sadly it’s all
Mowbrayesque.
Defending is unattractive and doesn’t get the vote, it’s a non starter under Deila and Collins and yesterday with ten men was the same as Legia Warsaw two years ago.
Ten men is a hard enough shift for a good side but when you can’t adapt to dig in and defend, it’s the kiss of death.
ThomtheTim,
Think that’s an excellent point.We look desperately weak physically and our players are easily ousted off the ball.Our fitness looks dire at times too.Blowing out their erchies with half an hour to go..
TONYDONNELLY67
Looks an exciting talent hopefully can keep him fit for CPL qualifiers. Certainly won’t get any protection from the refs up here.
I sent this as a reply to an e-mail from a fellow CQNer,about a month ago. It took me a while cos my first few drafts depressed me and I deleted them
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are a number of problems at the club,and at the PLC. For this,I’ll treat them as one,”the club”
I genuinely cannot remember such a huge disconnect between the fans and the club,xxxx. Even in the dark early 90s,I don’t think it was this bad. Aye,we knew the team were garbage,the directors worse,but it didn’t feel so bad.
Why? Maybe because we didn’t feel so helpless as we do now. Yet then few if any of us had shares and many of us hold them now. But we are helpless?
Yes. We are. And therein lies one of the major problems. It beggars belief that DD can exercise total control via 37% of the shares. However that transpired must be overturned. Preference shares etc must be treated the same as ordinary shares.
We need more openness on how the share structure works. The board holds proxy for c85% of votes at the AGM despite being frequently outvoted-and outargued-by the floor.
If none of the above is done,we are wasting our breath with everything else.
Additionally,DD has passed autonomy on all things to PL. a bean counter and a cost cutter.
Someone said on CQN the other day that ‘players like that don’t come to Celtic now’
He’s right. But they would if we were still a team which could make Bayern celebrate a 0-0 like they had won the CL.
I remember when Philips was a middle-to-high-end hi-fi brand. They saw how the likes of Amstrad were outselling them with low-quality items and followed suit.
It destroyed the brand. (They then bought Marantz so that they could continue their high-end stuff and destroyed that too). I’ve got a pair of YSL jeans upstairs,about 10yo. Still in decent nick too. £7.50 from Sports Direct as they wrecked that brand too.
That’s why good players aren’t interested in us now. PL has destroyed the brand. We aren’t attractive now,not a feared CL team,not even a feared EL team.
Not a big name in sight,and the highest earner in this era of mega-bucks is a beancounter.
Then there’s the vexed question of the huns. How much did our board know,why didn’t they push them over the edge,why have they gone along with everything? Why are our players subject to different standards of refereeing in the TV age? Why are the board allowing names of supporters to be given to the police,banning fans before court cases have been heard,oh I could go on.
xxxx,with this board in place,carrying on current policies,we are f…d,mate. Our income is down by about 40% already,and that from a period when we were edging out the high-earners to bring in dross. The dross will get,erm,drosser,the crowds will continue to diminish,the spiral will continue downwards.
To overcome this,all of it,the diminishing crowds,the dross players,the ruined reputation which means we cannot attract quality on the park or quantity in the stands,will cost us considerably more than even the greatest fan of PL will tell you has saved us.
Much more.
For that reason,it won’t happen. Even if the admittedly watered down FFP regulations were ignored.
Getting fan representation anywhere near the board will not be permitted by our current ownership because it will show the direction of the club to be rudderless.
Welcome to the new Captain Bligh on the new ship of fools,as the son of one of our players once sang.
Sorry to be so negative,xxxx. I tried. And I realise that it doesn’t really scratch the surface of your question. But sadly I think any initiative,any proposal,to bring about change,bring the club nearer to the fans is doomed to failure.
Your brother is sadly 100% correct. The only way we can get our club back is if it,like Panathanaikos,is wrecked.
And none of us want that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I stand by that. We are f…d.
Roberts signing now official. :)
signing of Roberts just announced on an 18 month loan
makes no sense,
yet another winger, will be off as soon as, nothing to build on
the signing policy is totally illogical
a sea of midfielders, yet not a decent striker or defensive mid
where are we going with this!!!
They are out there, honest to god I do weary at times, I honestly do.
http://talkingbaws.com/2016/02/celtic-fans-jump-to-defence-of-leigh-griffiths-after-twitter-abuse/
Craig Thomson had about as much influence on yesterday’s result as I did. Ambrose , Delia, Collins, Lawwell had infinitely more influence.
Difficult to change Deila, impossible to change Lawwell. So as a bare minimal we should change Ambrose… Well that would be a great idea if we had a reliable replacement.
I actually agree with P67 assessment of our newest hit n hope defensive signing. On the basis of 70 minutes yesterday he could be our best signing yet. That’s in the context of a 3-1 gubbing. What the hell does that say about other defenders at the club? What does it say about those who are recruiting these players?
After an extensive scouting exercise, I can confirm that Colin Kazim-Richards’ YouTube video is on par with Marc-Antoine Fortuné.
Heaven knows I’m miserable now…
In business, the term ‘reasonably foreseeable’ is often used when deciding if something could have been avoided.
Yesterday was ‘reasonably foreseeable’ and hence avoidable
Struck by adversity ( the Hampden hoodoo) – have plan B (Ronny, is there one?)
Efe – how much evidence do we need? – offload the risk to another team and play a youngster if need be
The pitch – same as before. Not fit for purpose so get the footwear right
The ref – force the decisions from him. How many times did we put GMS or LG through where they had to commit to a red card tackle? How many times did WE get on top of their goalie?
Johansen – the ‘show em I’m interested’ tackle was as predictable as it was pathetic. A poor footballer.
Did anyone even notice JF moaning to the ref for a foul when what he should have been doing is chasing the ball down again?
All of the above – avoidable by good management practices
timaloy29 on 1st February 2016 12:16 pm – See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/not-good-enough-lurching-off-plan/comment-page-3/#comments
What we’re watching is utter garbage. The product on the pitch is abysmal and unworthy of the Celtic name. That’s why Deila has to go and the board has to examine itself.
We don’t have to sweep everything in front of us but we’ve got to be pleasing to watch. Tommy Burns’ side was a cracker but not a winner. Not many complaints there. Deila’s clueless and the board is arrogant. A combination that will lead us to perdition.
There’s much to mull over.
Another il-fated trip to hampden….are we jinxed there?
Or alternatively does our luck or lack of it, lie a lot closer to home.
Personally, you don’t have to be a Clare-voyant , fortune teller or whatever….but when Ronny was welcomed on board at Celtic Park, someone somewhere should have imparted that crucial bit of advice. Someone, anyone. From the wee woman in the canteen, to the janny at lennoxtown.
Someone, just anyone…..”Ronny if you don’t find a way of getting Efe off the books, he will one day get you sacked.”
100% Fact…no dubiety about it.
BSR.
The awkward moment when Craig Thompson gave us a vital decision in a vital game.
A penalty against a team that popped its clogs, late in the 2nd half @ the bigotdome.
Big Sammy missed it.HH
Backtoworkcsc.
Davidopoulos
Yeah but i think MAF was just poor but at least he tried Kazim im not so sure he’ll even try. I hope I am wrong.
KLV
Delighted with the signing of Patrick Roberts especially on an 18 month deal, looking forward to seeing him live in the Hoops.
Paul there was no intent from Efe to bring the player down he never made a challenge.
The Ross County striker was as clever as Derk Bo at St Johnstone, yet he was called a diver & a cheat.
What’s the difference here?
Celtcsep
Anymore in today?
HH
timaloy29 on 1st February 2016 12:16 pm – See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/not-good-enough-lurching-off-plan/comment-page-3/#comments
Thanks. Just made my day a whole lot more depressing, too.
I am dismayed with where we are as a club and if this is the plan, then it’s time to lurch away from it. Just some evidence why the plan isn’t working:
– we have a poor manager lacking in tactical nous, passion or respect from his players
– we have a team populated with wee boys, lacking leadership and heart
– we have no saleable assets to the EPL (apparently our reason for existing these days)
– our scouting is abysmal – cite the latest example of pissing money up against the wall, one Nadir Ciftci, an unmitigated and much predicted disaster
– no cover (if you could call Ciftci that) for our one forward should he get injured or lose form, save an injury prone, slow, EPL has been (no offence Carlton, thought you were a great player in your day, but you’re only here now because that day has been and gone)
– our defence is a complete shambles, Tierney’s apart
– Efe Ambrose still gets a game
– it is conceivable as we enter February that Aberdeen could win the league and deny us the opportunity to be embarrassed in the ECL qualifiers for the third year in a row
– we have a majority shareholder who openly woos a return of the fake ones
– we have a CEO who earns multiples of what we’re willing to pay any manager, hence restricting our most important appointment to flotsam and jetsam of the football world; eg Ronny Deila
– we have just been comprehensively humped by the minnows of Ross County, continuing a pattern of rotten cup failures over recent years, particularly at Hampden
– our record and performances in Europe under Ronny Deila have been unremittingly dire and will never get any better under his “leadership”
– some of our league performances have been soporific at best and close to unwatchable at worst
– we genuinely face a challenge from Sevco next year, a bankrupt, corrupt, ethereal entity bringing in players from Accrington Stanley and the like – don’t fool yourselves that Celtic under Ronny Deila are streets ahead of them. We are not.
There is a serious malaise at our club and very little to get excited about for the future as things stand. I don’t trust Deila and I certainly don’t trust Lawwell and Desmond, both of who can’t seem to see past Sevco, whatever their public sound bites. It’s their (in)actions I judge.
So if this is the plan can we please ditch it ASAP and come up with a better one?
Time to leave my nephew and his girlfriend to the airport for their flight back to Glasgow.
Get Kev jungle and the Green Man onto the Celtic board..;-)
Farewell boys..
Chavez/Angelgabriel
Just goes to show how twisted Craig Thomson is, he gives us penalties when he knows we’ll miss.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 1st February 2016 12:58 pm
I’m not saying you’re wrong but before the money went even dafter than it already was having a team that was ‘feared on the CL’ resulted in a £40m loss. We then started our cost cutting and WGS was able to use the remnants of that team to maintain the fear factor.
After that it was gone. Beating Barca was every bit the equivalent to a result like yesterdays. The wee team unexpectedly beating the big team. There was no fear involved.
kevinlasvegas
MAF was capable of playing well at times. I have no doubt that CKR is capable of playing well at times. Ciftci can play well at times. Cole can play well at times.
My issue is, that if this is peak of our ability/ambition to sign players, then just play the young lads instead of signing more players who occasionally turn it on.
Hope deadline day lifts the spirits after yesterday.
I find it hard to believe that any fan of Celtic can think that we would get a even handed official from the very organisation that has be working with our no dead rival. Week in week out there are more links that the sfa and sevco are linked and we still expected a fair ref in the sfa’s lair.
Crazy. Celtic and the board not only to blame for our malaise.
KLV
new article posted.
The first thing you do when you get rid of your manager is attempt to recruit a better talent. Can you imagine who would be interested in a job where you had to win the club’s fourth treble in your first two seasons or face the sack? It’s no way to run a club and would guarantee a downward spiral.
Sorry Paul. A bigger handicap to a potential manager than the win everything ambition of the fans, is the total lack of ambition of the Board.
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CECILTHELION on 1ST FEBRUARY 2016 1:03 PM
I think we are playing decent football. Certainly scoring enough goals.