There is an age-old debate about what is more important, tactics or players (it’s tactics), but the argument is nuanced. Even a team that is tactically sound will be ineffective if passing is hesitant, wayward or clumsily controlled.
In Lille last night, Celtic’s passing was fast, precise and controlled, even in the tightest of spaces. Throughout the first half I shouted “Too tight” at the space we were passing into, only to be surprised on the upside. This allowed us to hold possession, move up field, get into the box and create chances. In this regard, the contrast with what we witnessed earlier this season was brilliantly stark.
Consider the performance of Callum McGregor on Sunday, who was a stand-out by the way he drilled the ball over the surface with laser precision. Last night, Callum put in a similar performance, but he looked no more than another cog in the wheel.
Throughout the game, Albian Ajeti held the ball up under the tightest supervision, turned and brought others into play. His early effort was correctly adjudged offside and he could have opened the scoring with a snatched chance midway through the first half.
Aside from his abilities on the ball, Diego Laxalt’s energy levels were outstanding. He was up and down the field from first to last, like the proverbial pinball, overloading in attack and rolling downhill into defence when required.
Central mid looked at its best, with Scott Brown doing what we know he can do so well and, before he tired early in the second period, Olivier Ntcham opening up play.
For a game in which we lost two goals, saved a penalty, Scott Bain made two other excellent saves and our crossbar was rattled, the defence played well. Ryan Christie switched off at the corner for the first goal, allowing an unmatched run at the back post. At this stage of the game the defence was under pressure but holding firm, Bain was seldom called upon and Lille looked frustrated. It is so important not to make it easy for your opponents.
The same observation could be made for the rash challenges in the first half (both outside the box, as it happens) that led to the penalty and the free kick Bain did so well to get a hand to. Last night was Celtic’s turn to pack their defence, making Lille very dependent on set pieces. To win games at this level, you need to be smart about what you concede.
The second Lille goal was one of those concessions that was not the result of a defensive mistake. We were in good positions when the first ball into the box, there then followed a miss-hit shot that fell to a second Lille striker, whose effort was deflected past Bain. C’est la vie.
With limbs and minds visibly tiring and an eye on the Scottish Cup semi-final, Neil Lennon indulged in a bit of showboating, closing the game out with the lesser spotted Ismaila Soro and Stephen Welsh among others. The substitutions helped stabilise Celtic for the closing period, when there were chances to win all three points.
On a night of fine Celtic performances across the field, there was only one Man of the Match contender. The finish for his second goal was technically more difficult than the jaw-dropping strike for his first. Much of the successful passing we discussed further up the page went through him and, having converted two more difficult chances, he will wonder what inhibited him from shooting inside the D to complete his hat-trick. It was an outstanding European performance. Moi Elyounoussi, très bien!
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wee sophy ridge on a sunday morning
makes ky hangover worthwhile
*my
a ‘ky’ hangover would be a totally different offence 😄
LETS ALL DO THE HUDDLE – she’s very poor,like getting interviewed by your big sister,……hair of the dog mate…😁
!!BADA BING!! on 1ST NOVEMBER 2020 8:13 AM
You seem to have mistaken my comment which was meant to be complimentary to Ajeti for his contribution and to Neil Lennon for his man~management skills.
No worries
HH
LETS ALL DO THE HUDDLE – she’s very poor,like getting interviewed by your big sister,……hair of the dog mate…😁
—
ive got the sound down, so ive no idea what she is saying 😄
Sophy Ridge?………..
About as alluring as thon Met wummin Carol Kirkwood………..
Nope.
I knew a nurse called Sophy Sore..
NEIL LENNON & MCCARTNEY- speed reading, apologies HH
Red Card Ross been reported fo UEFA,for using pictures of him guising as a linesman, on Tory mail propaganda, facing a ban.
Good morning, friends. Still pretty showery and breezy here in ole EK, just 7.8 miles from Hampden Park.
Good luck to Celtic today
work beckons now
do your best Celtic,work for each other
hh
On this day 1/11/67 cheated from becoming world club champions…..and for older readers El Dorado would have stung you 14 shillings!Today however,is the day we can reach another final..PLEASE!
Leftfield discussions on CQN …
Can I start one about “Just a Boys Game” — on the TV last night.
1979 Greenock in all its glory — scary stuff.
Not the classic it has been made to be by some.
Half cooked would be my thoughts — very episodic but brilliant at times.
For once I won’t let my general feeling of positivity be pulled down by the board .
We are showing signs of being near the corner don’t know if we have turned it yet.
However I expect. We will cruise by dolly quite easily anything less will be a concern we have the players and a nod to the blog header we should have the tactics .
I expect a 3 or 4 goal win if any kind of Celtic show up
On a side note the rotten mob have struggled at rugby park since the Scouser has been here (as have we at times) this will be a good yardstick to see if they have actually improved or it’s just light and mirrors.
I’m going to predict a low score draw
And a great day for us whatever it brings have great safe day.
Good morning CQN from a storm washed but and ben about 10 miles after the turnoff for the back of beyond.
With candle-power internet, the likelihood of getting a stream for the game seems slim, but we walk on with hope in our hearts.
Watch Power and Dicker get booked early,to take the sting out of them
Deniabhoy
If you are around.
This looks like a cracking stage today. Short but it looks very tough.
The Angliru is a killer..
Sevco away to Killie is a game where many predict they can drop points, and maybe so, but I still expect it is likely to be draw with somenody in the bottom halg at Ibrox that will see us gain advantage.
Anyway I have Donegal vs Tyrone and then Hampden to watch, Someone said our womens team were on TV too this morning but I can’t find it.
RIP SC
remember seeing an interview were he was talking about his daughter giving him grief about turning down down Gandalf in the lord of the rings. ” how could you dad”in mock horror. his answer. ” wtf is a bobbit”
lol
peace
Two bad fowls ignored by Dallas on Killie players. Message to sevco from him- wire in.
Hunbelievable
Dallas does what Dallas does. 1-0 Sevco. Tav (pen).
Sevco penalty, who would have thought it…
Penalty for rangers………………………………
Killie gift Sevco a penalty. Killie offering nothing and Sevco doing all the pushing.
This is how we should start games….on the front foot from the off. Don’t let the opposition settle.
Hun does what hun does………………..
Oíche Shamhna (Halloween) signals the end of the year in Celtic culture, so……
Happy New Year to all Celts.
we’ll hear from the sleekit stoatirs an’ the gloatirs…………..
How many penalties????
6 penalties for Tav…………..
:)))))))))))))))))))))))))
Wouldn’t normally watch thems but thought I would pop it on as I catch up on the news (2 days left!) and as soon as I do I see them converting another penalty.
Hmmm
Dallas tells Tav he’s only allowed to commit 5 more yellow card offences before he actually books him.
AIPPLE on 1ST NOVEMBER 2020 12:29 PM
To be fair, it was a penalty all day long. Shocking decision making from the Kille defender. Killie not got going at all.
Can’t believe Tavernier didn’t get booked for that offence. Or maybe I can believe it,
How on earth is firstly the fowl by “tav” and then the subsequent dissent not a booking.
SUPERSUTTON on 1ST NOVEMBER 2020 12:32 PM
Can’t believe Tavernier didn’t get booked for that offence. Or maybe I can believe it,
………………
It was a stonewall yellow card.
first bookin’ to a Killie player…………………
Aye!
Madmitch
Just a boys game was of its time. Typical of Peter McDougal’s focus on everything about Greenock being crap. He really focussed on the underbelly.
The pub from the opening scene was where we used to go three nights a week to watch live bands – great venue, hardly any bother.
It was a snapshot of a way of life for a sub set of the population with an obsessive gaze at the worst aspects – helped by very careful choice of locations and camera angles.
geebee1978 on 1st November 2020 12:31 pm
Cheers for that, didn’t see the lead up but from what I have subsequently seen Killie aren’t doing much.