I was widely predicting 3-0 last night so the result didn’t come as a disappointment. Bayern could have punished us (or pretty much any team in Europe) by more, while we could have scored a deserved consolation in the second half.
It is seldom a manager will make three changes which improve the team, but Brendan Rodgers did just that last night. Tom Rogic grabbed the stage like no other Celtic player when he replaced Stuart Armstrong. Celtic’s game plan left Leigh Griffiths isolated against towering defenders. This was never a fair fight, but plays to Moussa Dembele’s strengths. The French youth international looked back to his pre-injury best.
Patrick Roberts is our most accomplished player at unlocking packed defences, but that was never on the agenda in Munich. Instead, he most often took possession acres from goal, forcing him to dart into space before being blocked by the weight of red jerseys.
The game was more suited to James Forrest, who needs space in front of him to be at his best. The winger regularly stressed the Bayern defence and created chances.
Bayern clearly identified Cristian Gamboa as Celtic’s potential weak spot. Cristian was isolated repeatedly but used his pace and agility to put in a performance few of us expected.
When was the last time we lost three cross/header combination goals? Bayern are a tall team. Celtic played with two small(er) full backs, where they would otherwise play the ubiquitous Mikel Lustig at right. A lack of height perhaps contributed to Bayern’s third, an inexcusable free header at a set piece, but we switched off at the loss of the first two goals.
We didn’t execute our normal (simple) passing game during the first half. Lots of things can contribute to players not passing the ball, rushing their passes, or, more crucially, not making themselves available for a pass.
The most obvious contributory factor was the ability of the opposition, but the problem was not as superficial as this. We didn’t pass well during the opening period, even without Bayern pressing particularly high.
Football is a game of 1000 small decisions, where to move on the field being the most common decision. Repeatedly last night I couldn’t see good options for an easy pass for the Celtic player in possession. For Celtic to play their natural game there needs to be a close proximity between players when we are in possession.
Last night we stretched the game. Sinclair, Armstrong and Brown were too far forward, often by as little as 10 yards.
Special mention to Craig Gordon, who having picked the ball out of his net three times, kept the score from reaching the epic proportions that Arsenal recently endured at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern will be confident ahead of the game at Celtic Park in two weeks, but Celtic know they can play better. I’m sure when Brendan Rodgers looks at the Champions League table, he will concede nothing yet.
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Celtic Fans in Allianz Arena pic.twitter.com/EGbQbkWt6G
— Celtic Videos (@CelticVideo) October 19, 2017
OUR SECOND CQN PODCAST this week, featuring interviews with ex-Celts Alan Stubbs and Chris Sutton, previewing the big games this week against Bayern Munich and Hibs at Hampden on Saturday.
Stubbs gives an insight into Liam Henderson as a player and talks about where his career should go from here.
Speaking on behalf of BT Sport, Alan Stubbs also spoke about his regret at leaving Hibs, and looks ahead to the League Cup semi-final between two of his former clubs.
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As I said last night,this group of twelve matches boils down to four important ones.
PSG v BM and Anderlecht v us.
The rest are just a waste of time. Which will remain until UEFA sort the seeding process.
But if we want our £30m,we will continue to have two crucial matches out of six,and just hope for the best in the other four.
Last night was far from our best,but ffs I’ve seen a lot worse over the years!
On the positive side,we can only improve with that level of income-IF we use it wisely. Our priorities,IMO,are the league,CL qualification,then the two cups. At that,we’re doing none too badly.
So,at the risk of sounding like a happyclapper,we have a decent squad of players,and a quality manager who knows what he wants,with the income to provide it.
The down side is being outclassed while we try gradually to improve. And that’s hard to take.
BLANTYRE TIM
Hope u and the family are well mate.
HH
Who would win in a fight between Bruno Alves and Dale Winton ?
HH
Jobo
Sorry I missed LMS just had a few weeks off blog and missed the emails
BIGJIMMY
Do you think you could punch him sober-or even punch some sense into him?
BMCUW
See u 11/11, met Gordon64 last night and he and Rutherglen massive will be in attendance
Oldtim already booked his hotel
Jimmy
Maybe see u 31st before Bayern return
BIG JIMMY. get in the Q hail hail
Priceless….
BMCUWP
that’s all I’m gotta say about that ;-))
I just ignore knobs like McLean, like the rest of the bitter Hun loving arseholes. I look forward to the next game we wipe the floor with Pedro’s heroes. If there only cause for celebration is Celtic being beating by top notch European team’s, that’s all right with me. Feck them
BLANTYRETIM
That’s grand,mate. Really looking forward to it.
TRAVELLERBHOY was on briefly last night,so here’s hoping he can make it too!
There should be Their
Marc/Jobo……no so sure about the pigshrub……or was it the ambush…..yuv jumped the gun…..
VLANTYRE TIM,
Magic mate…great to meet before Bayern game AND on 11/11….IF we are still sober enough to go to the Hoot on 11/11 after we Celts gub Bayern at Cel;tic Park and the celebrations go on for some days ?
Text or phone me BT.
HH
Trying to deploy pub team skelping tactics
aginst, CL galacticos is, at best, naive.
Or, at worst, midlife crisis tactics.
Brendan son, a busload of Celtic managers were sacked in the first half of the nightmare 90’s.
They’re crime, they tried to play the {fabled} Celtic Way, without having any Cellic players in they’re teams, John Collins apart.
Some times, you have to say one thing, then do another thing.
Some of us would call it, cute.
Panty rippers would call you a liar, they would know.
Some would call it, mind games.
Some would call it, horses for courses.
Some would say that, a boxer who gets caught wi a punch, will learn from it.
But, when he gets caught wi the same punch, what, 4 ?, 5 ? times now ?
Hmmmmm…..?
Anyway,…..
……oot.
Good evening from a rather wet Braithwaite in Cumbria, only got 17 mins of the game yesterday before my wifi blow up :0(
Now we got what we expected , this competition is designed for the privilege few and not us. You can get an odd one off result in a head to head game but these groups they are designed as it is,
very difficult to qualify. Old European cup will do …
BT apologizing fur me…..get lost…..
Ya Apologist;-p
FTSFA & FTSPFL
H.H.
Moussa has been back in training now for a month. The big man must be near match sharp. As i said last night, he is primed to tear Hibs apart at the weekend. As much as Hibs are a decent side, they are cannon fodder if we turn up. I cannot wait for kick off, I’m sure the bhoys are feeling same. Hopefully they have been stung by some of the criticism which has been way over the top.
…..yer right…..can we compete with the PSG & Bayern Munchens of the world…Park du Prince…..ffffttttt
H.H.
I would argue this season CL is going to form and that outwith Pot 1, we are competitive
I said before it started we would hit the desired target with 4 points. Neither ourselves or Anderlecht would put a glove on PSG and BM. Arguably we are ahead of the plan on results.
If we accept Pot 1 superpowers are literally out of our league then we are competing at Cham League football.
PSG and BM are BOTH pot 1 teams, Barcelona last year.
Our record against the other teams we have met bares scrutiny
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 19TH OCTOBER 2017 7:08 PM
Undoubtedly Brendan knows what he wants.
However, it is PL who controls the income.
Am I the only one afraid of a European hangover
:-((
Dena
No – we need to bring our A game on Saturday or Neil’s Hibs are in with a right shout
Interesting. My post on here earlier today at 1.04pm was cut and pasted on to jjsite by someone with the blog name Bawsman. Anybody know Bawsman?
Dena
No :)))
Young McGinn wont get a fraction of the space and possession he had in our recent game now that Broony is back.
stopMcGinnstophibs
jinkyredstar and leftclicktic
I have found myself all day wishing it was Sunday and all over
nerves are shattered and its only Thursday :-))
nailbitingcsc
Ghuys sorry for intruding on the Fitbaw chat. Last week I posted a link looking for votes for my daughter, the response I got exceeded my wildest expectations, I hoped for about a dozen positive responses I got 107.
In the last couple of days one or two lads asked me to repost the original link.
Well here goes a quick summary, my daughter who is now a Celtic Supporter has just chucked her 9 to 5 and opened a new business as a Make Up Artist. She has been nominated as Make Up Artist of the year on a major prestigious site. She is one of 18 but being a newbie she is a rank outsider unless the unseen Fenian hand works the oracle.
If you missed the original link and want to help please click on link, it will ask for name & e mail, then scroll down to Make Up Artists & click and you will see a list of 18 names, my ghirl is Make Up by Niamh, just click on her and submit.
You will get a confirmation link sent to your e mail from Weddings Online ( it may come in under regular or junk mail) you need to click on this link to validate your vote & make it count.
Thank You so much to all the Bhoys who have already helped out and if there are another 3 or 4 out there who missed original post and want to help, then Brilliant, every vote will be treasured.
So if you wanr to help please click on link, Thank You.
https://www.weddingsonlineawards.com/vote
Dena
I hope he freshens it up.
Despite individual criticism I would say the starting 11 in Munich worked their socks off, but were peeing. In the wind.
I hope Kieran, Broonie and Griff in particular can get recovered.
I saw Kieran up close last night and he was knackered at the end. Gave everything to no avail unfortunately
Not going to criticise the performance but do think our lack of signing a ch in the window has caught us short big time.
Still had a great trip with my bhoys to Munich and the drummer led procession to the train and ground was hugely entertaining
Hope all home safe
HH
corkcelt on 19th October 2017 8:21 pm
I voted last week will it let me vote again?
HH
Sipsini- ticket picked up, a lovely bhoy you have there HH
Corkcelt
Voted last week – wonder if the judges will wonder why all these men are voting :)
Anyway good luck to your ghirl
Conflicted?
Celtic have received considerable criticism after Wednesday and I’m not talking about the wholly unbalanced commentary by Rob Maclean.
Was particularly thinking of written press or contributions posted on various sites and blogs.
By in large we’ve been pounded. Not unexpected and indeed not dissimilar to a few well observed entries on this site.
However there is little mentioned of the huge gulf in resources between us and our glamorous opponents.
My question is….is this fair? Shouldn’t there be an attempt to put our challenge into context?
Or…..
Do we want to be judged on the highest standard because we are Celtic and that is the mark we accept?
While I do feel the context of our disadvantage should not be ignored I still believe we want to be judged against the peak or near peak at least. It is this I think which can drive us forward to the best attainment we can achieve.
It is uncomfortable, very uncomfortable sometimes but I think I’m prepared to accept that burden as we attempt to ‘reach for the state’s.
HH
Just meant to say as well it’s one vote per e mail address & voting closes at midnight tomorrow so I won’t be bothering ye anymore after tonight
Results on 31st October & win or lose Niamh will use my moniker here to come on & give the result & thank all those who voted for her.
Good night all.
Thank you for being here.HH
LMCBhoy on 19th October 2017 8:23
Agree re: CH but it is what it is and we can only hope Brendan can juggle the backs sufficiently until the January window……..
I’m usually what BMCWP would call a happy clapper ………trying to remain one at the minute
HH
No Dena it won’t let you vote again , Thanks for your original vote deeply appreciated, Jophes, yes I remember you from last week & was delighted for your support. Many Thanks.
Thirds63 on 19th October 2017 8:28 pm
There is rarely if ever any mention of the gulf in resources between our opponents and us
Its hard to answer your question………….
If we want to be there we have to do it with what we have (the hand your dealt and all that)
but its difficult to take the criticism when you know none of our opponents could produce what they do with the same budget we have……….
allI know I’d rather be there the way we are than cheat our way like others tried
HH
CORKCELT
Voted only because she’s a Celtic supporter. Done under Mrs TimJim’s name
Anyone else beginning to think that we need to start a Rodgers Out campaign?
Just me then??)))