The most frustrating thing about last night’s meek exist from the Europa League is just how self-inflicted it was. After previous European defeats I criticised Brendan Rodgers tactics, but no tactics in the world will help a team which cannot defend a corner kick or stop a shot from 24 yards into the middle of the goal.
I saw the Hamilton Accies keeper recently concede a similar goal to the second Dorus de Vries failed to keep out of the net last night. At any level of the game, it was an unforgiveable error. For years Celtic were imperious at defending corner kicks. Now, also for years, it has been a persistent weakness.
Celtic have been far too weak at the back this season – not just in Europe. After the game Brendan suggested we lacked the experience necessary to play in such environments – certainly one of our issues. Hopefully the addition of Marvin Compper will bring sufficient authority to allow our youthful defenders to progress.
By contrast, Zenit were a study in the art of defence, even at home against a team from Scotland. We were unable to land a glove on them until the contest was effectively over. Substitutes Tom Rogic and Scott Sinclair both made things happen, but it is difficult to isolate their effect from Zenit’s own tiredness.
This was a European tie which got away. Sure, Zenit are better resourced than us, but on the showing over both legs, I’m not convinced they are significantly better than Anderlecht – who played us off Celtic Park but had their own troubles when we visited Belgium in September.
Lots of excuses, Celtic, but we really should have done better.
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Trump spouting nonsense like an actor in a bad movie, my 11 year old upped and went to her room ” i can’t listen to this idiot any longer…..”
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE
To a lesser extent Simunovic!!!
Watch that 1st goal again, he completely lost Their man who he was supposed to be marking, there was a group of 4 players in front of them, when the corner came in Ivanovic ran round the outside of this group into a big space, Simunovic instead of going with him, ran round the inside and was miles away from his man giving him a free header. That and his pass back that let Partick back in the game are just 2 examples of his overall poor play this year. We should have kept Sviachenko and loaned him out. Or better still sold him.
G67-SP- As Trad says, if he is quick and scoring in the EL, he will be on the radar of a few clubs possibly.
It was a poor display last night and I won’t attempt to gloss it over but reading the non stop barrage of highly critical posts has made me realise that I have little in common with the bulk of my fellow posters.
We lost 3-1 to a seeded team in Europe over 2 games, get over it,
We have a League & possibly a Cup to win over next few weeks.
That is my sole focus, Our record under Brendan is still very impressive.
I stand 100% behind Brendan & our treble winning invincible team of last season.
Quonno.
My point is that Celtic budget to win in Scotland which gives us an opportunity to play a few games in Europe,but to compete in Europe you need to be in the elite division in Europe IE the Barcelona’s.Real Madrid’s,etc etc, we haven’t a hope to get into that group of the elite’s of this World. As for Celtic Having plenty of Cash,I think they may have £50 m, What part of Namar ( spelling) would would you choose ,An arm, or maybe, a leg, you certainly wouldn’t get the whole of him.
We are in a different world if you think that Celtic could afford to compete with the Elite of Europe.
By the way taking Players on lone isn’t a bad Idea, I would never had got to see Patrick Roberts if it wasn’t for us managing to get a lone period for him.
Excuse the Grammar.
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 23RD FEBRUARY 2018 4:00 PM
There are lots of unknows but many variables we can ponder, they form part of the decision making process for clubs and players, and can’t be discounted so easily. It only takes one of them to scupper a deal.
You’re right, the money is there for us to spend. But there is no unlimited supply of players who fit all the criteria of improving our team, who want to come, and still fall within even an increased budget. And unfortunately, the CL money we can’t budget for going forward due to the increasingly perilous route to get there.
By the time players values get to £3m-£5m, a lot more clubs are aware of them and showing an interest. Twumasi being a good example. Thats why we try to get in there early and the average spend may be £1m-£3m rather that £3m-£5m.
Generally, it has worked for us, but if we are able to identify players in the next bracket who will improve us and want to come, I’m all for it.
HH
As a club and the coach at the helm (BR) we seem to be attractive for loan players, surprisingly that lately we cant attract a suitable defensive loanee (who would only be a loanee if outwith our price range) to come. Though given the general bedwetting by a lot of our support when we get a bad result the noise from the home stands would destroy that attractiveness.
I think we all agree that we need to do something, for the qualifiers i can only see the following being in the team:
GK – ?
RB – ?
CB – Comper (if fit or indeed decent)
CB – ?
LB – KT
MF – Ntcham
Broonie
MF – Musonda
RW – Forrest
CF – ?
LW – ?
Thats five spaces to fill (IMHO), either by return to form for some, big step up for others or new recruits
GARY67 on 23RD FEBRUARY 2018 4:03 PM
Not in CL. That’s where they all want to play.
Yes, we may have missed the boat. You asked for a player and I gave you one, do you want me to carry out the contract negotiations as well ;-)
===============
Read the rules, we’re CEO’s in the morning, scouts in the afternoon ;) At the weekend you can be whoever you want to be!
HH
GO TELL THE SPARTIM on 23RD FEBRUARY 2018 4:12 PM
Gordon will be keeper, Ajer centre half, Sinclair left wing and Griffiths striker
@ TRADITIONALIST88 on 23RD FEBRUARY 2018 4:11 PM
I think the problem most people have is that it appears that Celtic do not want to spend the money. They are parsimonious and I believe it is to the detriment of the club.
You could argue they have tried to spend more money but the players (for whatever reasons) won’t come. However, given that we have not broken our transfer record since August 2001, the weight of evidence points to Celtic having no intention of spending significant money in the transfer market.
As the old saying goes, you’re only as good as your last treble winning invincible season.
We must go forward, not backward. Upward, not forward. And always twirling, twirling, twirling…
Gary67
i toyed with ajer and the griff and even ralston, perhaps i was been optimistic but if that were to be true and all we got was a different right back then unless Comperr is Franco Baresi at 26 then we’ll be having this same discussion every single year.
I notice that their appears to be a divide in the viewpoints of us, more mature supporters, who have experienced it all and the younger ones who know very little about the game.
Anybody disagree?
GO TELL THE SPARTIM
I would count Boyata out, Brendan seems to like him as do I:))
Not that long ago we were being told on here Jozo was our best defender now he’s getting driven to the airport, funny old game innit:))
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 23RD FEBRUARY 2018 4:19 PM
I know – but to break our transfer record, we’d have to spend £7m, which is another level up again. A lot has changed since then. And I’m not sure the money spent in O’Neills early years(fees and wages) were sustainable.
I think for the right players we would spend the money – I don’t think BR would be here otherwise.
All I’m asking for is for some to factor in some of the variables that can make a transfer extremely difficult – there is a lot of competition for a limited supply of talent.
Off oot – catch replies later/tomorrow
HH
Or technically, £6.01m to break our transfer record!
HH
Starry,
Rumours surrounding Big Dedrick are similar to those regarding Jozo, i think we will punt both in the summer, somethings BR doesnt control (players wanting to leave or running down their contract)
Thomthetim
us older ones and ones older than me have had many many heartbreaks, the younger ones tend to be a bit spoiled, but an old idiot and a young idiot are both idiots
TO my mind, for a long time now for Celtic to score it takes a lot of skill effort and courage .
For us to concede doesn’t take much
It’s either poor play or poor set up.
I’ve always thought it was easier to be a defender with rangers(remember them) than it is with us they get more protection in the way they traditionally set up,we on the other hand are more cavalier,attack minded.
Brendan had us skelped v Barca that wouldn’t happen with Lenny.
I’m not saying who is the better coach but if you set up poorer players in a more open style against better opponents then you get humped.
Anyway I still love Brendan and Celtic
Onwards and upwards
If we win the cup then we will have bettered last year. I think that’s a fact
OLD TIM67
I completely agree with you that we really cannot compete with the elite of Europe.
However, a bit of ambitious thinking might see us acquire players of sufficient quality to prevent what have become routine European nightmares.
CORKCELT on 23RD FEBRUARY 2018 4:09 PM
It was a poor display last night and I won’t attempt to gloss it over but reading the non stop barrage of highly critical posts has made me realise that I have little in common with the bulk of my fellow posters.
We lost 3-1 to a seeded team in Europe over 2 games, get over it,
We have a League & possibly a Cup to win over next few weeks.
That is my sole focus, Our record under Brendan is still very impressive.
I stand 100% behind Brendan & our treble winning invincible team of last season.
———
It’s possible to do both.
To get to as many games as possible and cheer at the telly when you can’t…..to applaud them on, cheer them for 90mins, applaud them off …
And yet still be objective enough to admit the invincible squad of last season look and play more like the RD team of the year before.
To be worried about the dramatic loss of form, consistency and panache.
And to ask how a performance that was so excellent last week was follows by something so poor at the weekend and still more so, last night?
HH jamesgang
OLD TIM and CORKCELT,
I’m in your clique. Some way way over the top comments on here since we lost in Russia.
Barney67 at 4.08
I think Ivanovic played Jozo like a fiddle (c wornoutclicheCSC)
Ivanovic places himself so that if Jozo is going to stay goalside, he has to be behind those other players. Then Ivanovic gets a run on him, and Jozo has nowhere to go – he’s blocked by the other players. He either follows Ivanovic, but he’s a yard behind already and wouldn’t be goalside, or he does what he did – goes the other side and can’t get near Ivanovic in time.
Jozo has to be smarter, more aware. And if he’s got access to video, which he does, he should be more aware because Ivanovic has been making these runs for over a decade. I’d still argue there’s a failure of coaching.
MILD MANNERED PEDRO DELGADO on 23RD FEBRUARY 2018 4:33 PM
“Brendan had us skelped v Barca that wouldn’t happen with Lenny.”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2522132/Barcelona-6-Celtic-1-Neymar-runs-riot-Nou-Camp-Bhoys-slump-heaviest-European-defeat.html
Ok, Brendan now holds the record, but I would say 6-1 is a skelping.
HH
CRC
Starry Plough
Dedryck will possibly be at World Cup with Belgium. He’s been in recent squads so must have a chance of going if fit
GO TELL THE SPARTIM on 23RD FEBRUARY 2018 4:32 PM
Thomthetim
us older ones and ones older than me have had many many heartbreaks, the younger ones tend to be a bit spoiled, but an old idiot and a young idiot are both idiots
******
Did you ever try going into politics?
A perfect answer! : > )
GO TELL THE SPARTIM
Aye I heard that on here but I haven’t seen anything concrete to say DB wants away, god player who could really thrive under BR. Young Kris is a bit raw to be handed the berth right now( I wonder how he’d be as a ball playing sitting middy?) I think we’ll see DB and MC at centre if DB stays, Jozo I imagine is for the off if again the rumours are to be believed???
Scott Sinclair is one of the genuine quality players we have and I can’t see him being out of the 11 for long.
Did his wife not have a baby recently and didn’t Joe The Led have a similar slump when his Mrs did too:))
HH
Someone earlier questioned the potential of our players.
I don’t think there’s any question about it. Most of them HAVE the potential to perform at a higher level than has been consistently shown for most of this season. Against Aberdeen at Pittodrie, we were totally dominant, same against Hearts in two games (2nd game only for half of it ), against Anderlecht in, er, Anderlecht ;-) and against Zenit last week. Just a few examples. There are more.
If players can perform at this level once, then they have the potential to do so more regularly, but for some reason, we’ve come up short more often than has been comfortable.
This isn’t entirely about coaching. The fact that Brendan and his staff have been here for more than a season and a half would suggest consistency in coaching over that period.
It isn’t about lack of ability either….they’ve proved they have the ability.
I mentioned in a post last week that we should be employing the services of a Sports Psychologist. Recent performances have, to me, reinforced my opinion.
A Sports Psychologist worth his salt can transform underperformimg players, strengthen character, self-belief and self-confidence, leading to more consistent, and better performance from players, qnd in turn, to an improvement in results.
I don’t doubt that Brendan is a very good motivator of players, and this is in no way a criticism of him or his team ( although they’re not above criticism ) but they probably lack the specialised skills and knowledge in this field to measurably improve the attitude, concentration levels and self-belief of players.
SiggyfreudCSC
Hope De Vries can knuckle down and save any knuckle balls coming his way on Sunday and not be complete knuckle head.
Quonno summed it up
we’re not asking to compete for the champions league, id like us to at least last more than the first ten minutes in an away game without conceding a goal, incremental improvements in everything we do may have larger results than we may think they do.
GARY67
Forgot about that:))
Thomthetim
Im with Billy Connolly in regards to Politics, the mere fact you wish to be one should prevent you from ever being one.
Sutton talking about Celtic players bottling it. Just like he did Motherwell 05. Everything is relative.
The panache of last season was down maily to the form of Roberts in the run in and the driving energy of Armstrong and the control of Rogic.
This took a lot of pressure off Sinclair and allowed him space to perform . Also it gave Dembelé ammunition to work with.
To ignore the absence of the first three mentioned is a failure to understand why there is a difference between the two seasons.
Hopefully we can restore these players to fitness and form to carry us over the line.
*mainly
Last nights performance was like quite a few this season, clueless. I don’t often agree with Roy Keane but he got it right. When the team play well quite rightly they get praised, when they play crap (last night, St Johnstone, Killie) its only natural that people are critical. Too many happy clappers on this blog who get on their high horse when someone dares say something negative, they should get a job with the Celtic View. I have posted on here sporadically before, so before anyone suggests it I am not a cream bun. Our season starts against the sheep on Sunday.
GO TELL THE SPARTIM on 23RD FEBRUARY 2018 4:30 PM
Starry,
Rumours surrounding Big Dedrick are similar to those regarding Jozo, i think we will punt both in the summer, somethings BR doesnt control (players wanting to leave or running down their contract)
I think players wages are on a much higher level than 2 years ago, heads will be turned.Boyata probably on lowest salary in Belgium squad(i know…), these guys will talk about money and contracts when they meet up.HH
I fell asleep on the flight from Edinburgh to London a couple of hours ago.
Had a dream where someone belted the ball at 100mph straight the goal I was keeping.
Jumped up, awake. Hand in front of my face.
Embarrassing so it was!
I wonder if poor DDV experienced similar on his flight home.
(I saved it btw!)
HH jamesgang