Celtic looked nervy during the opening exchanges in their Champions League clash with Lazio last night, as Lazio imposed a high press. A 12th minute turn and drive inside from Daizen Maeda changed things.
Daizen found Matt O’Riley who played a truly great one-touch pass behind the defence into the box. This is Kyogo Territory and the Japanese’ movement bought him enough time to drill a shot that deceived the keeper and opened the scoring.
That shocked Lazio into a response as Celtic endured a high and fast press this grouo of defenders have never collectively faced. Celtic struggled to progress the ball forward, with the usually effective Reo Hatate’s distribution well below par.
Lazio forced a couple of corners before their equaliser arrived. They had two distinct strategies for each side for the field, with attackers clustered inside the six yard box for inswingers from the left, and lined up behind each other for outswingers from the left.
The latter caused enough confusion to lead to the equaiser. With numerical advantage inside the box, the defence should have prevailed.
If Lazio had the better of the opening period, Celtic dominated the second half. Just after the hour, Luis Palma and Cameron Carter-Vickers replaced Yang and Nat Phillips. Both arrivals injected control and drive into Celtic.
With 8 minutes remaining, the whole of Celtic Park (apart from the guy sitting beside me) thought Palma had put Celtic ahead, but VAR ruled a touch from Maeda was enough to disallow the goal for offside.
Lazio were winding down the clock in added time but a moment off balance from Carter-Vickers allowed them to drive into the box. As with their first goal, the defence will think they should have marked better.
A game which could have been won and should at the very least have seen Celtic take a point was lost. There is a softness about us which needs worked on.
I think the game came too soon for us. You can see shoots of potential in Palma and the authority Carter-Vickers brought to the game was enough to turn the tide of play. His late split does not touch the sides of support he has in the bank from Celtic fans.
It’s a tough ask now to finish third in the group.
260 Comments- Pages:
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CELTIC40ME on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 3:14 PM
Come on man. You’re better than that.
Spend it wisely is about maximising every penny we earn (the same revenue as Lazio atm, but TV deal a big variant) to plan, search, buy, reward, play and trade much better than we do at the moment. That should correlate with us bridging a gap.
You’re not suggesting we’ve reached our peak on the model, do you ?
HH
BIG WAVY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 3:00 PM
“Have they ? How’s that get decided ?”
Sarri probably is a better manager than Brendan. We don’t think there’s any shame in admitting that. He’s consistently top 3 in serie a with three different teams and in the epl with Chelsea. He won Juvevtus’s last Scuddeto
My point was that the gap isn’t just on the pitch, we’re consistently up against top coaches. It makes a difference
SHAUNAMURA on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:44 PM
Tom regards Celtic players not being soft in Holland substitute stupid for soft
I would rather say our players are not soft/stupid but are “not streetwise” .
If you get hit, hit the floor like other teams do to us on a regular basis.
Many times Maeda get hit but he’s only interrested in fighting for the ball than getting us a free kick in dangerous places.
Lot’s of teams in CL with zero points so chin up and play “The Glasgow Celtic Way” with little bit streetsmarts
HH
BIG WAVY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 3:19 PM
I’m suggesting your model has a lower ceiling than we need.
CELTIC40ME on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 3:17 PM
Given that he doesn’t decide transfer strategy, what do we think Mark Lawwells remit is?
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Sourcing players to fit a company profile (strategy seems to be incoherent when you look at how to build a squad) .
Lawell is just part of what feels a sub-optimal model at the moment, where domestically we get away with it for being flat track bullies. In Europe, we feel sorry for ourselves.
Can we improve it? Yep.
Do we want to? Nope.
HH
Doubt very much if any one team will dominate this group, which makes it all the more disappointing that we did not take something from a game which we put so much into. I often repeat the refrain that it is all about how you respond when you are put on the back foot that counts, (as the late goal illustrated) but worse still we have put ourselves on the back foot in the group. Which of course puts us under pressure right from the start of our very next CL group game. Lazio have had a poor start to their season, but beat Napoli away and could and should have beaten Athletico at home, are packed full of good experienced players and while nowhere near as cynical as Juve were here back in Lenny’s day they are difficult to play against and possess a level of nous that we do not currently have. Not only that Italy won the most recent Euros and had finalists in all three of the Euro competitions last season, a league finding its’ way back from its’ troubles.
CELTIC40ME on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 3:26 PM
Think you’re doing both Brendan and Ange before him a bit of disservice. Two very good pedigrees.
But we don’t half pull on the heart strings when it comes to justifying European underperformance. I’m surprised we don’t hand the money back and refuse to participate.
HH
CELTIC40ME on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 3:19 PM
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No – that’s what I said!!!
You had you say – you said a lot – I acknowledged it – and I added my view – that’s what happens on blogs!
We are not, have not, been achieving results in the UCL for some time – Europa League is our standard at this moment in time – not defeatism – realism.
Well Ain’t That A Kick In The Head, perhaps Brendan was singing the Dino classic in the dugout as he watched his players being assaulted by the Italians in last night’s match and not forgetting the stiff arm to Reo’s jaw. All red cards in the Oval Ball game. Perhaps CCV was was half stunned when he gave the ball away in those dying seconds soon after that kick to the head which left a nasty lookin bump on his forhead. Once again he would have been withdrawn for a HIA in the Oval ball game. I was quite surprised by the passive way the rest of the players did not assail the official in protest, Johnny Sexton?
Very hard to take last night’s result after such a great effort by the players and the last few games has really seen Liam Scales come of age and glad to see he’s finaly getting his callup to the international squad. Surprised to see Parma not starting, this guy looks good and could have caused serious trouble if on from the start. Was there a Var check on their goal?
CELTIC40ME on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 3:31 PM
BIG WAVY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 3:19 PM
I’m suggesting your model has a lower ceiling than we need.
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An appreciably higher ceiling would mean substantial debt – Celtic will not countenance that.
BIG WAVY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 3:37 PM
It’s a bit dewy eyed to describe Brendan or Ange as good as Sarri. He’s not the very best but he’s out of our range.
BIG WAVY
Softness ?
When Reo was punched not one of our players reacted.
There should have been a stramash of epic proportions, with a Tommy Gemmell-esque grab of the Lazio player’s neck in the process.
Scott Brown wouldn’t have let it pass.
So 2 red cards not enough for you? You want more?
As for Scott Brown, an absolute myth.
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 2:06 PM
Great goal analysis and follow on comments from others on page #2.
The only explanation I can give for Johnston moving forward is that he thought CCV would play his way out of the bind he was in.
That’s poor judgement at a critical time in the game and I hope it can be explained by fatigue, since I rate AJ so highly.
We need to lose our Boy Scouts reputation and add some cynicism to our otherwise excellent play.
CLOUD9 on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 3:45 PM
“An appreciably higher ceiling would mean substantial debt – Celtic will not countenance that.”
Because of our ownership model and uefa we can’t. But we’re looking for a higher ceiling without the debt, which is a must
Just watching the CL games on TNT.
We were very unlucky with the offside goal. Imo VAR was not conclusive and the benefit of doubt should go with the attacker. Did Maeda get a touch ?
I’ve already stated two cheap goals to give away, especially the one in the 95 minute. Boot the ball anywhere at that stage of the game.
Listening to BR now. Endorses the above. Poor game management in the 95 minute.
Our home record is now quite appalling. The stats don’t lie.
Burnley 78.
Agree in part about the atmosphere. Possible reasons may be :-
Traffic outside was a nightmare. Gridlock with these poxy cycle lanes.
Then when you get to the ground you are hit with huge slow moving queues. Thousands missed the ko in the JS. Cue thousands of wet frustrated fans.
Low expectations of fans who are aware of our appalling home record and subconsciously fear the worst.
As an aside , all these hundreds of stewards with their luminous red and yellow jackets camped right around the stands for the last 15 minutes is so off putting and distracting. . ( or is that just me ? )
HH.
CELTIC40ME on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 3:31 PM
BIG WAVY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 3:19 PM
I’m suggesting your model has a lower ceiling than we need.
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As a reminder, my lofty ambition stretches to a 2nd bottom finish and a chance for Europa league participation.
Not exactly a demand for a toe-to-toe contest with Man City….
HH
BIG WAVY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 3:31 PM
So is Mark Lawwell just the scapegoat?
CELTIC40ME on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 3:59 PM
BIG WAVY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 3:31 PM
So is Mark Lawwell just the scapegoat?
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We do love building strawmen.
I’d prefer to say that his performance in the scouting area, since he took over, should be a massive cause for concern on his ability, even if the search tab is set at the bargain basement end of the global market.
But, given our cronyism I’m sure daddy will give him some air cover for now.
HH
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 3:48 PM
You do realise I wasn’t being literal.
HH
BIG WAVY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 4:06 PM
“We do love building strawmen.“
It’s not. You posted a list of his failures as if it was proof he’s done a bad job. He might be doing exactly what he’s being asked to do. You’re setting him up as the scapegoat for the policy
“But, given our cronyism I’m sure daddy will give him some air cover for now.”
You could argue that that is though
BURNLEY78 on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 2:41 PM
I am not sure if many on here actually attend the games.
Last night for me was probably the 2nd worst atomosphere I have ever experienced at Celtic Park. I think I have been to every game.
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I watched it on TNT and was wondering if perhaps they had turned down the crowd noise? Seemed very subdued. If not the case, I doubt any of the Lazio players will be saying it was best atmosphere they have ever experienced.
I watched the Atlético Vs Feyenoord game and even when the support were in full voice, Diego Simeone was gesturing excitedly at them to pump it up even further.
For 95 mins we were in a great position to win or at least draw so you would have thought the crowd would have been right up for it.
(Apologies if you were there and the atmosphere was, in fact, electric. My observation is based on what I saw on TV.)
The old ” came a bit too early ” excuse.
Why is that.
Because players are signed that aren’t up to CL standard and signed too late in the window.
CELTIC40ME,
Your negativity towards Brendan Rodgers is tiresome.
We came within a whisker of getting a result against Lazio
The world and his wife knows that if our manager had been backed I’m the summer transfer window we would have got that result.
We had 7,200,000,000 pennies in the bank.
Brendan, the coaching staff and last but definitely not least, the players did a great job last night.
Hail Hail
CELTIC40ME on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 4:12 PM
BIG WAVY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 4:06 PM
It’s not. You posted a list of his failures as if it was proof he’s done a bad job. He might be doing exactly what he’s being asked to do. You’re setting him up as the scapegoat for the policy.
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I posted a list of his incomings without comment, from an X post. Interesting you called them out as failures. Just wrong that you’re attributing me to scapegoating.
I’ve already called it as a systemic failure on behalf of the club. We can do better. He can do better too.
HH
BIG WAVY
Is it not really obvious what we’re trying to do?
We’ve identified a market where there’s far more value than Europe. We aren’t as attractive to the sort of players we want to sign as the clubs we’re trying to catch in Europe. We’ll never match Lazio over a long period as long as we shop in the same places. Players don’t want to come to Scotland if there’s a possibility of moving to the leagues they ultimately want to end up in. Over a period we’ll lose out to the large amount of clubs in the smaller leagues who are doing what we’ve done. Occasional successes but we can’t rely on Benfica messing up with players already on their books
Of our recent signings many of our best players have come from shopping in a completely different market. If we could scout and sign young versions of Kyogo, Maeda, Hatate and get in for a Mitoma before anyone else we’d have young good players with big sell on values.
It’s a numbers game though with young players but with young players from the other side of the world coming to Glasgow to play for Celtic particularly. MuchNumbers and time – lots of players given time to develop and hopefully you end up with a few really good players. What is success? That’s the question the club will ask – 2 or 3, 4 out of ten?
CHAIRBHOY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 4:19 PM
“Your negativity towards Brendan Rodgers is tiresome.”
No negativity here, I’m 100% behind him, he’s done a great job since he’s been back and last night showed real signs of progress from last season
I don’t think he’s as good a manager as Sarri, though. Their records don’t compare
“CELTIC40ME on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 1:38 PM
Importantly I do think we do look better than last season,’
Now there is something you don`t often see on CQN: The Present being viewed as better than the Past !
Well done, Celtic40ME !!
CHAIRBHOY
it’s not a pop at Brendan. It’s the realities of the situation we face in the CL. Our best managers aren’t as good as a lot of the managers we’ll face
Brendan has made is crystal clear that the recruitment policy comes from the top, aye he will sanction signing players AFTER they have been scouted.
CELTIC40ME on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 4:27 PM
BIG WAVY
Is it not really obvious what we’re trying to do?
We’ve identified a market where there’s far more value than Europe.
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Two thirds (6 out of 9) are quite literally players from Europe.
We used Ange’s eyes for the best of Japan, to meet a team system demand that has run its course, after he left.
I get the model. I’m not defeatist about it. We must be better at it. Recently, we haven’t been.
HH
St Tams
I was watching the TNT highlights show on Tuesday night and the fellow with the long hair was criticising one of the English teams for buying on the last day of the window!
His logic was lack of time to integrate……
CELTIC40ME,
Brendan Rodgers is a great manager, he transformed the team he inherited from Ronny Delia and made the team a UCL pot 3.
He will do so again, inspire off, not because of our PLC.
Hail Hail
didn’t think for a minute that we’d lose last night
we didn’t collapse
our play was high quality
lots of emotional intelligence on the pitch
lazio didn’t deserve to neat us
can’t remember the last time I felt like this watching us in the CL
know how Motherwell felt at the weekend
Hope we get points
don’t know where we stand now
we’ve been well in games and have no points
thanks cqn, I’m still trying to digest (we can score a goal against the roasters in lazio)
HOT SMOKED on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 4:36 PM
“CELTIC40ME on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 1:38 PM
Importantly I do think we do look better than last season,’
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Intrigued…..Any facts to back this up?
There is plenty of facts to suggest our outputs are down across a few important areas, such as wing play (no Jota and Abada) and chance creation (no Mooy).
HH
Ironically with the added on injury time after CCV got that kick to the head, Lazio scored that winner.
CHAIRBHOY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 4:44 PM
He’s been a bit short in Europe to be a great manager for me but he does seem to be working to remedy that. Hopefully over the next three seasons as he seems to be suggesting is the plan
I thought last night was a far more controlled performance from recent Celtic teams, his included. And we managed to do what we haven’t enough which is score at home.
BIG WAVY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 4:50 PM
In Europe, to my eyes anyway.
CELTIC40ME on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 4:54 PM
BIG WAVY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 4:50 PM
In Europe, to my eyes anyway.
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2 matches in last year, we had 1 point (that frustrating Donestsk match we should have won), and the 60 minute cameo against Madrid before capitulating.
2 matches this year, 0 points. Red mist in Rotterdam and last night’s lost lazio chance. Both poorer teams than last season’s RM.
I think we’re more pragmatic and controlled under BR, far less attractive in an attacking sense and set up mostly to stay in a game. Both typified by brainfarting of course.
HH