Celtic potential and softness on show

260

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.

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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.

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  1. Big Wavy

     

     

    “I get the model. I’m not defeatist about it. We must be better at it. Recently, we haven’t been.”

     

     

    We won’t know that until the new players have been given enough time.

     

     

    You talked about Sangare at PSV recently, it took him three seasons at PSV before you noticed him abd he got his big move

  2. CELTIC40ME on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 5:05 PM

     

     

    We won’t know that until the new players have been given enough time.

     

     

    You talked about Sangare at PSV recently, it took him three seasons at PSV before you noticed him abd he got his big move

     

     

    ======

     

     

    “Enough time” always does a lot of heavy lifting.

     

     

    We can’t make Palma faster, we won’t change out McGregor for Holm, Kwon just won’t make it, Bernie don;t do tackling, etc. Of course there may be outliers but we’ve all watched the game long enough to make early calls on what we see now in terms of natural attributes.

     

     

    Sangare ? – You mistaking me for a professional scout? I flagged a guy in our budget and surely on our database. Why the heck do we seem to overlook big, strong athletes that do a job for the non-top 5 leagues?

     

     

    I’m out. Done eff all this afternoon work wise but been a pleasure.

     

     

    HH

  3. BIG WAVY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 5:01 PM

     

     

    I was talking about compared to the entire campaign last season. Our first two games were our best performances, we got worse after them, particularly at home

  4. BIG WAVY

     

     

    “I’m out. Done eff all this afternoon work wise but been a pleasure.”

     

     

    Likewise and likewise :)

  5. AuroraBorealis79 on

    ‘What a Player’ Rico Lewis gets Pep’s seal of approval after comeback win…

     

     

    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.

     

     

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    BOGNORBHOY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:05 PM

     

    Onward and upward

     

     

    QUADBHOY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:05 PM

     

    Onward and sideways surely?

     

     

     

     

     

     

    QB

     

     

    THE BATTERED BUNNET on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:06 PM

     

    We need less potential and more performers. There’s a limit to the current development model and we hit it every year in Europe.

     

     

    BOGNORBHOY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:07 PM

     

    Onward to the next challenge ?

     

     

    QUADBHOY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:10 PM

     

    “THE BATTERED BUNNET on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:06 PM

     

     

     

     

    There’s a limit to the current development model and we hit it every year in Europe.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Yip, hence onwards and sideways (at best – often we go all Paula Abdul and its one step forward, two back!).

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Still hoping for 3rd place though, but more hope than realistic expectation.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    QB

     

     

     

    QUADBHOY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:12 PM

     

    “BOGNORBHOY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:07 PM

     

     

     

     

    Onward to the next challenge ?”

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Ah yeah, in that sense I get it! :)

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Bring on the Killie and let’s hope the players have a fair bit of anger and frustration from last night to channel into that game!

     

     

     

     

     

     

    QB

     

     

    THE BLOGGER FORMERLY KNOWN AS GM on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:14 PM

     

    And next year’s CL will be “too soon” as well for we will have sold a couple of players with experience and replaced them with players who have none.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    As I wrote earlier……….If our players show promise they will attract interest from richer clubs and be sold. Even if he is of a similar standard, the replacement has to gain experience from scratch. If we are lucky he slots in seamlessly e.g AJ. If, as is likely, he takes time to get up to speed/settle we will suffer defeats by “fine margins” at CL level because the collective experience of the team has been diminished e.g. would the probability of winning last night have been higher or lower if Jota had been on the left wing?

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I go in to these games hoping for the best but expecting the worst based on what I’ve written above. I also have no issue with the business model, but those in charge should be more honest and define more clearly what is meant by “progress in Europe”. I have no doubt we’d do well in the Europa league, but progress in the CL is a fantasy. Our business model is not set up for it.

     

     

    QUADROPHENIAN on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:14 PM

     

    A balanced take. Paul – but, ultimately, one that suggests we’re oot by the end of the first week in October :0

     

     

     

     

     

     

    3 points:

     

     

     

     

     

     

    “..the usually effective Reo Hatate’s distribution…” that claim is now subject to an advertising standards authority query; his form’s as up and down as the proverbial tart’s scants.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    “I think the game came too soon for us…” I asked you about this before Paul: How late would we need to ask for Champs Leagues ties to be put back to accommodate us getting ready enough to compete in them that’s scheduled for the same time each yr ?

     

     

     

     

     

     

    And finally…whatever happened to the widespread calls for more robust and experienced players?

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    PS: The O’Riley pass to Kyogo was sublime indeed.

     

     

    HOT SMOKED on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:17 PM

     

    We certainly didn`t deserve to lose last night and our performance was better than any other I have seen this season.

     

     

     

     

    Disappointed though I am, I feel we are moving into a good place.

     

     

     

     

    Beat Killie;Huns drop points in Paisley and I might start smiling again.

     

     

    TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:21 PM

     

    TURKEYBHOY

     

     

     

     

     

     

    VAR were powerless to intervene in the Hatate elbow incident because the referee took no action. If he had shown a yellow card, VAR could have looked at it and either confirmed the yellow or upgraded to red. VAR doesn’t check for foul play outside the box except where it leads to a goal, otherwise we’d be there all night.

     

     

    TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:24 PM

     

    Can’t understand some posters saying our players are “too soft”. Remind me. How many Celtic players saw red in Rotterdam?

     

     

    GLENDALYSTONSILS on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:25 PM

     

    If we get third place in the group ,I’ll eat my …. bacon roll (don’t like hats). We have matched or even more than matched at times , our opponents in the first two group games but have zero to show for it .

     

     

     

     

    In European terms we are too weighted towards underdeveloped/inexperienced players and I have no doubt that we will experience the same fate next season if we find ourselves in the same position . As a club we need to find a better balance .

     

     

    79CAPS on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:25 PM

     

    I am amazed that BR did not demand a guarantee that the team would be strengthened in the summer. He is now working with a weaker team than last season. Playing projects in the CL is bound to fail.

     

     

     

     

    Selling Jota was a statement by the Board that they have no ambition other than to stay ahead in Scotland and impress the shareholders.

     

     

     

     

    We are now facing the real prospect of finishing the group stages with zero points. But the financial results are great.

     

     

    GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:26 PM

     

    A real sickener to not get even one point, especially after looking like we had taken all three.

     

     

     

     

    Can’t seem to manage the key moments (last minute yesterday, last minute of first half in Rotterdam), which is what separates performances from results.

     

     

     

     

    Then there’s the recurring theme of losing goals in Europe to ball-watching. You are simply not going to get away with it at that level and until we get a grip on it we will continue to struggle.

     

     

    QUADBHOY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:30 PM

     

    “TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:21 PM

     

     

     

     

    VAR were powerless to intervene in the Hatate elbow incident because the referee took no action. If he had shown a yellow card, VAR could have looked at it and either confirmed the yellow or upgraded to red. VAR doesn’t check for foul play outside the box except where it leads to a goal, otherwise we’d be there all night.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Really?

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I thought VAR could review ANY incident that might be serious foul play / red card whether the ref saw it or not, or took action or not. Sure I’ve seen this in a game but can’t for the life of me recall the incident.

     

     

     

     

     

    On several occasions that we have scored goals, in the spl, they have researched back as far as the last time the ball was out of play, searching for an infringement by a Celtic player in an effort to rule out a goal.

     

     

    I am fairly sure we have lost atleast 1 goal to such dark, where a player either committed a handball or a foul in our own half of the pitch

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  7. The Blogger Formerly Known As GM on 5th October 2023 12:14 pm

     

     

    And next year’s CL will be “too soon” as well for we will have sold a couple of players with experience and replaced them with players who have none.

     

     

     

     

    Build develope, sell. Rebuild develop, sell.

     

    Build, develope, retain ………….successful clubs.

  8. Anyway – onto ournext challenge (which we’re not on top of yet) – breaking down static spfl defenses

     

     

    mon the celts v killie

  9. Burnley 78 has spoken….CQN’s very own FLO

     

     

    Fan Lambasting Officer…..come on…..we must do better…..

  10. FLO ?

     

     

    Is that not what the plumber said to his wife when they were splitting up.

     

     

    Its all overflo 😀

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  12. DENIABHOY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 12:50 PM

     

     

    Thanks for that. A rational comment, level headed.

     

     

    Also: Moneyball is how Brighton and Hove Albion play. I’m unsure how to describe how to describe our model.

     

     

    T

  13. PPB

     

     

    Saw it from the angle behind the ball going towards Meada and in my opinion he definitely touched it. Watched it on CBSSN but all stations should have same replays.

  14. Don’t seem to have time to do my lunchtime read these days. More work. Less pay. Unbroken right wing government for halfway century and no strong unions to hold them back will do that I suppose.

     

     

    Anyhow, the article today, Reo Hatate was not unusually slack last night. He’s been slack with his passing since returning from injury.

     

     

    He brings energy and more pace than DT. But he needs to tidy up his game.

     

     

    Soft or a bit hard done by and a paid a price for not having two fully match sharp centre backs? Honestly think that 90 minutes if one or other of a fitter CCV or Philips would have seen us avoid defeat at least.

     

    Correct VAR and on field refereeing would have reduced them to 10 men and given us a free kick on the edge of their box in injury time instead of getting them up the field amd ultimately scoring. It’s not an excuse, these things are facts and influenced the outcome.

     

     

    I’m quite proud of the performance in the second half.

     

     

    Now, I think I’ll watch Derek McInnes continue his job interview for Sevco

  15. Tom McLaughlin on

    Dessers equalised for the Huns but the linesman flagged for offside. Obviously VAR started an offside check. The TV replay showed that it was very close as you couldn’t say either way with any certainty.

     

     

    It admittedly took a long time for VAR to decide but when it’s as tight as that, it’s obviously going to take a bit longer than usual.

     

     

    Meantime the commentator and co-commentator Kevin Thompson bemoaned the length of time it was taking. Thompson said, “What annoys me is they never tell the crowd what’s happening.”

     

     

    Eh, what about the big electronic scoreboards that display VAR CHECK – DISALLOWED GOAL? What else does he want to know?

     

     

    When VAR eventually confirmed the offside decision was correct, Thompson moaned, “All that for nothing.”

     

     

    What a prick.

     

     

    HT 1-0 Aris Limassol.

     

     

    Huns booed off the park by the travelling support.

  16. Jeezo, I might be better spending my time watching the local 5 a side pitches. There’s more fitba on display on a Thursday night down there than this p15h

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  18. Triple negative from Willie Miller on BBC Scoddland –

     

    “There’s no way they are not going to start without Duc’ .

     

    Still canny work it out 🤪

  19. BadaBing

     

     

    I don’t know if you ever go to games but if you do ….

     

     

    Do you honestly think our support was close to as engaged as in the MON or Lenny or even WGS eras ?

     

     

    Where I sat last night it was like being surrounded by folk trying to out do each other with their superior knowledge of who should do what. Zero encouragement.

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  21. Tom McLaughlin on

    BIRNLEY78

     

     

    I thought the support last night were terrific and generated a wonderful atmosphere.

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  23. How bad are the huns? That team they’re playing are dross yet 2-0 down. Last night we should have at least drawn with one of Italy’s top teams. I hope they enjoyed their wee bit of joy at our expense last night. St Mirren will beat them.

  24. DENIABHOY on 5TH OCTOBER 2023 7:06 PM

     

    Can they sack Davis?

     

    —————

     

    😂😂😂👍

  25. ‘Going down to the Europa Petrofac Cup Conference would be a good move’ ; Mr S wally Esq.

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  27. Hard to believe this is an actual European tie.

     

     

    This mob are garbage and yet it’s taken the rangers lot up till now to get to grips with them

  28. Tom McL

     

     

    I respect your Celtic watching experience historically and mine may have been different.

     

     

    I also respect your view of the officials is usually different to mine.

     

     

    I thought the chap last night was appalling tbh. Inconsistent and very easily influenced by our opponents.

  29. i was happy with much of our play, we competed again with an italian club and didnt get pumped, we made few mistakes.

     

     

    i was unhappy that we still went gung ho trying to win a match at that level, a point each would have given us a sniff with 4 games still to play, because all the teams are within one win of each other.

     

     

    take the point, dont lose a goal should have been a priority, game management as lots said yesterday.

     

     

    now next game is a must win, or we already will not qualify,

     

     

    cut adrift, not pragmetic enough.

     

     

    next, there was unoccupied seats dotted around in wee clusters,

     

     

    i am telling you, the ticket office puts up sold out notices when we are not.

     

     

    and and, to burnleys point the groaners and non supporters, the weans get priced out, the adults take up their seats at the inflated price, non regular attenders moan more than the regulars, thats my take

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  31. My humble opinion only, but we are short of STEEL, we need a Broony. We have that in Holm, just get his rough edges smoothed and we have a winner there for sure.

     

     

    KINGLuBO

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