We hoped that Celtic’s anaemic 57 minutes against St Mirren last week would serve as an indication that performance levels needed to improve ahead of yesterday’s game against Newco, but many of the same facets were in evidence.
Anytime I have seen Newco this season they seem to start brightly. By contrast, Celtic tend to feel their way into games in a low-energy manner. This was evident yesterday. The game was moments old when Erik Sviatchenko was pressurised into a mistake, which brought Newco deep into Celtic territory. It was 3 minutes before we crossed the halfway line again.
Erik’s next two touches were also unassured, which interrupted the flow of the ball. It looked like Newco had decided he was the Celtic player to press. His central defensive partner was caught flat when a touch by Miller saw the ball pass through him, allowing Waghorn the first of his great opportunities to score.
Passing was clearly ineffective. Celtic simply didn’t keep possession throughout the game. The pitch seemed fast, how many times did you see a through ball run out of play? I wondered if Brendan decided to pull back groundsmen on watering duties?
Scott Brown opened in an advanced central midfield position, often ahead of Stewart Armstrong, with Nir Bitton the only one of the midfield three consistently playing his regular role. While the objective was clearly to pressurise the Newco defence, it came at a cost of ball retention.
Callum McGregor brought composure to Celtic’s play when he replaced Bitton at halftime. He was prepared to hold the ball, draw opponents in, and pass or move. This served to underline how poorly we were in this respect during the first half.
Stewart Armstrong created and scored a goal out of nothing. When he went off we not only missed his edge around the Newco penalty area, we became porous in midfield. Ball retention then took a further downturn and we lacked tightness.
Newco deserved their goal and, at that point, I thought deserved their point. They neutered the left flank threat of Sinclair and Tierney, which isolated Dembele. With Celtic unable to circulate the ball to any effect, which was the crucial tactical element of the game.
The psychology of refereeing is a weighty subject. Bobby Madden booked four Newco players before cautioning Scott Brown, but the real test isn’t applying a player’s first yellow card. After his booking, Waghorn twice tumbled theatrically inside the box in a blatant attempt to win a penalty. Both should have resulted in a second caution, but having booked so many Newco players, Madden froze.
Pointing to the penalty spot in added time of a tied game is a big decision for a referee. For whatever reason, Madden didn’t want to do this when Hill took Leigh Griffiths down with a waist-high challenge.
I could debate the reasons why he didn’t want to do this with you all week, but we both know why. At least the manager and players know what to expect in the semi-final.
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choose marching on the queens heighway, but not paying taxes for the upkeep
GERRYFAETHEBRIG
Too late I’ve already told Broonie whit ye said:))
We’re all hurting mate
HH
The Celtic Blog has breaking news doo doo
choose to save the queen, cos you wont pay for the funeral
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=the+celtic+blog&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari
Tinytim, teams will have spells in games where they highlight our weaknesses. It doesn’t matter the level of team you face. We won’t dominate every game that we play. I remember Partick nailing us all over the pitch but coming away with a defeat in December. Ross County earlier in the season were on the end of a 4-0 but out played us for long spells.
At Ibrox, they blew themselves out after an adrenaline fuelled opening. Motherwell done the same. Yesterday, they flew out the traps but once the game settled down we took control. Problem was we did nothing when we had control.
This season we have been remarkable at winning games when not being completely at our best. Yesterday, that never happened. But, we can’t complain.
HFTB
I’d also have first 11 playing against 13 or 14 players in training to give them little space to think about their passing. Force it to become instinct and not to expect a free man every time.
MWD
Further musings on the LSE result
http://thecelticblog.com/2017/03/blogs/todays-lse-ruling-leaves-kings-revolution-in-ruins-and-potentially-exposes-him-to-legal-consequences/
Starry Plough 5.49pm
Our Broony is one who would never use the pitch as an excuse :-)
It’s changed days when we are gutted and we didn’t even lose
I think the article posted from a Jim Craig is a joke, how anyone who follows Celtic can only mention a penalty incident as if it was the only decision the cheat got wrong yesterday is beyond my understanding, but perhaps we are happy to take it on the chin like someone before and that led us where?
Moonbeams 5.54
I quite like the HFTB, better than the LGBT that Fairhill Bhoy called me last week :-)
Am away too listen to SSB, those dishes don’t do themselves, got a feeling Maddens non penatly decision will be subject to “these things even themselves out”
GERRYFAETHEBRIG
The pitch has been an issue for a few weeks now, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Celtic Park look so poor, not for many years:((
I think is really unfair on the players to have their winning record taken away from them by a Salmon Leap Hun and if you’ve ever been in the Salmon Leap you’ll know exactly what kind of orc drinks in there.
The more I watch the Griffo penalty the worse it gets, I doubt Hill got anything on the ball at all..
We have a great pitch to play on this weekend so let’s be having you Hooped Heroes:))
HH
http://m.nottinghampost.com/nottingham-forest-set-to-appoint-mark-warburton-to-lead-their-fight-for-championship-survival/story-30199507-detail/story.html
MWD
As many have said there was nothing new in the referee’s and his cohorts performance yesterday, we have seen it all before. If they can get away with what happened at the semi final V ICT then we can expect it.
One way to get at them all is to celebrate our victories, make the celebration long and loud, let them know we will never go away.
This year when we win the league let’s not hold back the celebration because it was easy, make the celebrations louder because it was easy .
When we win the treble, get the rockets out, let them all know who we are and what we stand for !
Pedro thinks he is in charge of the best squad in Scotland
This could be some laugh :-) :-) :-)
BROGAN ROGAN TREVINO AND HOGAN on 13TH MARCH 2017 12:30 PM
Lisbon Update
Meal arrangements for the 24th of May are nearly complete and I have been given the option of an “open bar” with a fixed charge per head for all wine, spirits, beers, soft drinks etc.
This will be no more than 30 Euros each (circa £26) but I am waiting on confirmation.
—————————————————————-
Just on and read this! Has the person your negotiating with just arrived from another planet? Lol.
Martin O’Neill team would have pummelled that zombie tripe into the ground.
The New Contemptibles bullied and booted without fear of repercussions,from the MIB or the Celtic players.
Obviously it’s contrary to the rules of football, however they deployed the same tactics as many of the old dead club team predecessors.
Any defender whom allows Kenny “Kinder surprise heid” Miller to run amok, shouldn’t be at Celtic – simple as that.
They aren’t good enough, and they aren’t tough enough.
It’s difficult to criticise any of them because they have all been outstanding this season, up until yesterday – looking forward though, are they of the standard required for the future European campaign?
It’ll be interesting to see how much money Brendan is allowed to spend on strengthening the squad.
HH.
Starry Plough
The pitch is in its worst nick since U2 played at the stadium and you could see the outline of the stage and pitch covering for months afterwards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o9NLPTU4wc
Weebobbycollins
I only mentioned you once you had come on yourself!
Jimtim seemed to think I wasn’t sure how Midden would referee that match, so I was just clarifying.
One thing’s for sure, you’ll get plenty of opportunities to get your own back!
Pedro obviously on the sauce stating *Rangers are the biggest team in Scotland. Assume Jabba must have scripted the garbage that came out of his mouth…
Charlie Richmond
IMG_0962.JPG
Favouritism, bullying and off humour. Then the CEO gets onto Twitter 301
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SFA referee Charlie Richmond yesterday told the BBC he was resigning from his role as a top class official citing reasons that will horrify and resonate with many of you. Speaking last night he said:
“Referee’s committee members, who you would expect to get support from, have told me across the table ‘this is nothing to do with your refereeing ability, it’s nothing to do with your experience but you won’t be getting high profile games because you’re not seen as a team member.
“The fact that you don’t share the same conversation or the same humour doesn’t mean to say you are the bad penny.
“The fact that you don’t share the same conversation or the same humour doesn’t mean to say you are the bad penny.
“In any walk of life a natural progression takes place but the person underneath doesn’t need to stab someone in in the back to advance quicker.
“I received a phone call telling me to watch what I was saying in dressing rooms because this is 10am on a Monday and it’s filtered back already.
“Much more disappointing, is that they are believing that information.”
Coming hard on the heels of last season’s bullying allegations by an official and nature of what was regarded by some as suitable material to joke about in the workplace, the SFA sounds like an old boys club.
SFA chief executive, Stewart Regan, tweeted in response: “Referee appointments are based on performance. Would prefer to see consistent under performers ‘retire’ without feeling need to blame others”.
Ouch. Listen to her.
Charlie Richmond may or may not be a rubbish referee, Mr Regan could easily persuade me of the former, but that is not the point. It is not the responsibility of the employee to manage the performance review process. If the organisation manages this process well, the employee becomes an active part of proceedings, even when performance is worthy of criticism.
This situation has not been managed well. It is a corporate failure at an organisation which has been dogged by corporate governance issues for years.
The SFA have been accredited as Investors In People. The scenario where a senior referee complains to the media about favouritism while the chief executive retorts online about “consistent under performers” (sic) is surely the antithesis of good Investors In People. It smacks of lousy people management.
If you have underperforming staff, make it clear to them where they are going wrong. Do so in an inclusive way, ensure those charged with performance communication are able to do so without accusations of favouritism (Richmond) or bullying (Craven), and for goodness sake, ensure the chief exec doesn’t get bitchy on Twitter.
If you or I accused the SFA of behaviour like this we would be dismissed as irrelevant but the organisation needs to take action to ensure there are no more accusations of bullying, favouritism, selective-humour-bonding and executives disrespecting officials on Twitter.
Can you imagine what the very same people would be doing today if Neil Lennon had a go at a referee on Twitter?
If you would like to contribute a piece to CQN Magazine email me, celticquicknews@gmail.com.
So, will it be Barry or Derek on with MacIntyre tonight?
How many times will they mention “character”, “determination” and a “real Rangers like performance”?
Think again – any occasion in the past a Celtic team tried to counter a dead club team with like-for-like tactics, we ended up with players sent off, left right and centre.
It’s a no win situation.
Sort the MIBS, sort the problem as TET says.
Reform is the only solution.
HH.
Barry – check.
Evening Celts.
I wouldnt be surprised if Bobby Madden is ref for the semi.
After all, the huns do what they like….and the PLC accept it, like the idiots they are.
HH
TGM
I would be happy if Madden reffed the semi final, surely he canny cheat as blatantly again…..
We just need to score the goals to nullify the officials as well
i’ve came to the conclusion that i don’t know why we bother to discuss the cheating any longer this has been going on since time began and us having a debate on this forum is doing nothing but getting individuals upset and angry but NOTHING will ever change or could it.
GerryFTB
Gerry…believe me, they will try the same stunt again, because they know they wont get challenged on it.
If yesterday wasnt blatant enough.
It only encourages them further.
Too easy for them.
HH
Still reading back from last night,PHILBHOY am I still ok to post seeing as I had the cheek to criticise some players yesterday :-))not being a real supporter an that
BFSDJ- Blames McInnes for Pedro getting the Sevco job…
MIKE IN TORONTO on 13TH MARCH 2017 5:17 PM
THETIMREAPER on 13TH MARCH 2017 1:50 PM
Got a reply from JPT re Madhun….
Thank you for your email, I completely understand your points although these are issues that I’m not authorised to comment on. My understanding is however that there is a process for Clubs to grade the refereeing performance and the SPFL take a view on things once the Club reports have been received.
I have passed on your comments to our senior Management team.
*****
TimReaper
Thanks for posting that. The answer leads to certain obvious questions.
Why is JPT not authorised to comment on this? If he is not authorised to comment, who at Celtic PLC is, and will they?
It would be interesting to know if there are rules that preclude Celtic from making their reports available to fans/shareholders. If so, what are they? If not, will Celtic make available their report cards on the various games/referees? If not, why not?
****
I bet those documents would make interesting reading, and would go a long way to clarifying questions that many of us have about the relationship between Celtic PLC and the league.
——-
Mike,
My email to JPT was in relation to the process used to appoint referees and how the SFA ensure (we know they don’t and in fact do the complete opposite) that referees are selected in such a way that their background does not put them in a position where their professional integrity could be brought into question, i.e don’t allow a referee to ref a match involving the team they support, for obvious reasons. JPT’s has replied along the lines of reviewing the referees performance and a mechanism that is available to do that which is a different issue. I don’t really blame Madden for his performance, the issue was appointing him in the first place. With the greatest respect to JPT didn’t expect anything other than a short generic reply. I was really just venting and hoping that lots of other people would do likewise. I wouldn’t expect him to comment on the referees performance in his professional capacity. Like you, i did find his comment re the mechanism that the Club has to evaluate the referees performance interesting, and as such would like to know more about that.
Madden won’t be the ref for the semi final, that’s not reward enough, the final is the reward.
No words need to be spoken, actions always speak louder, do the right thing and the rewards will follow, not just during your career, it’s all the committee appointments that follow at the end of your career !!
Can’t say we weren’t warned.
TGM 6.44pm
I totally understand your opinion and wouldn’t question it, but I think we should enjoy our Celtic despite the refs, our board, the Sevs, whoever :-)
There is no way I would let outside influences spoil my enjoyment of Celtic, like yourself am not at the games just now so this place is even more important for me, hopefully will be back sooner or later until then I will enjoy the hoops (even when we are rubbish like yesterday)
Yesterday was a reminder of what kind of peculiar country Scotland can be.
Worth bearing in mind in the days and months ahead.
We can only wonder what Howard Webb would have made of Madhun’s performance yesterday. BT Sport have played an absolute blinder in having Webb on standby to review each and every contentious decision. A very innovative move and quite frankly an SFA referees worst nightmare.
Wilson just said fans own shares because they want to have a stake in the CLUB.
Hmmmm…
Gerry FTB
No matter how poor the huns are…..a bent hun ref can always change the course of the game in their favour.
Its totally corrupt
HH