Last night’s convincing win was exactly what was needed. Hearts were subjugated by three goals and an avalanche of chances, John Guidetti got off the mark and we kept a clean sheet after eight games without one.
We are a lot more potent up front than we were a month ago and the return of Scott Brown in central mid has tightened things up but that defensive record remains a concern. Hearts were utterly outplayed and failed to score, but that wasn’t for the lack of hospitality from their hosts.
It’s not clear what the difference is between last season’s record-breaking run of domestic clean sheets and our current porous look. Jason Denayer is partnering Virgil instead of Efe Ambrose, while Efe has been shunted right to cover for injured Adam Matthews and Mikael Lustig, but this wasn’t the case for some of our European nightmares last month.
Apart from last night’s pass between two statues, Emilio has overcome his early season jitters and Craig Gordon has been impeccable in goal.
It’s more likely that whatever changes have happened to the shape of the team, specifically, what is happening in front of the defence. Emilio’s back-pass last night occurred when he was under pressure and his midfield options were busy looking for a forward pass. Anthony Stokes’ error on Sunday led to Motherwell’s goal, but it happened on the halfway line. Against Motherwell! Who were able to exploit a lack of defensive cover.
Ronny’s Celtic press quickly and high up the field. I like this plan. As he navigates the squad into a position where this is their natural state there will be transitional damage, but the basis of every successful team is keeping the back door shut.
It will be some time before the manager gets a chance to finalise his defence as he awaits the return of Matthews and Lustig, and he decides on whether to partner van Dijk with Ambrose or Denayer (or Lustig), while Emilio could benefit from being pushed on the left by Charlie Mulgrew. In the meantime, Brown and Johansen, together with whoever plays wide, will need to practice their reverse gears.
St Mirren have failed to score in five of their last eight games, so as well as three points, and a clean sheet, we should be looking for whoever plays in goals to have a trouble-free afternoon.
Thanks to everyone who donated to the Great Scottish Run fund in aid of the Celtic Foundation, and to those who signed up for the race to do their bit. I know our gas has been at a peep recently but the flame of why we are Celtic fans burns as brightly as ever.
You can sign up for the race through the Foundation here, or if you’ve misplaced your trainers, you can help me hit my target here.
[calameo code=0003901718cdc4362fa2e? lang=en page=4 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]Many thanks.
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Doc in shock admission!!!!!
HH jamesgang
bawsman – I do not have a picture of Paul Telfer in my pink, heart-shaped secret diary, and I resent the insinuation. (thumbsup)
Omg doc
You’re on a roll of self flagellation!
Stop now!
I’m getting watching you!
It’s like a Tasmanian devil doing a dance of regret!!!!
;-)
HH jamesgang
Getting dizzy!!!
JamesGang, it happens so rarely it’s worth noting:-)
Cant really blame big Virg for his forward forays as he is a better footballer than most of the guys in front of him
philvis
See in your secret diary, do you have drawings of the Canyon of the Crescent Moon?
BocchiniBhoy
13:47 on 25 September, 2014
Cant really blame big Virg for his forward forays as he is a better footballer than most of the guys in front of him
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He reminds me of a less oily Lorenzo Amorouso…
philvisreturns
13:44 on
25 September, 2014
bawsman – I do not have a picture of Paul Telfer in my pink, heart-shaped secret diary, and I resent the insinuation. (thumbsup)
==============================================
“The lady doth protest too much, methinks”
Is Wakaso injured and if he is did he do it writhing around
the battered bunnet – Yes, though Adolf Hutter obnoxiously scrawled his autograph over it. (thumbsup)
The Battered Bunnet
13:29 on
25 September, 2014
SFTB
Agree on Denayer although I doubt PL does…
Guidetti is available on a Bosman come January.
__________________________________________________________________________
Now ,from what I`ve seen,that IS good news.
bocchinibhoy
13:47 on 25 September, 2014
Cant really blame big Virg for his forward forays as he is a better footballer than most of the guys in front of him
—-
Personally I don’t. I love them. Scored goal of the season doing it last year. Two provisos. Behind you!!! Make sure someone slots in to cover – a team responsibility.
Second, chank it back like a pure maddy if the opposition get possession!!!
;-)
HH jamesgang
Ha!
Jungle Jim
Guidwhitshiseaty missed a sitter last night. A pure open faced hawd oan a minute did he actually just miss that sitter? This juror is still oot fank you ferry mooch.
MWD said AYE
We don’t play with a discern able midfield. There’s no need to if the ball is carried forward by centre backs playing to wing backs or wingers.
Our midfielders are chasing spoilers. Johansen chases a lot but doesn’t spoil much. He is a cross between Thomas Gravesen and Landry nguemo. How many of his chasing runs result in the opposition giving away possession. How many of his passes end up at Celtic feet?
I enjoy watching him charge around but is it effective? Does he make the right decisions. Naw.
Scott Brown is far more effective. Thing is when Charlie is back fit I can’t see how he would fit as he’s not quick enough to go chasing. Our two central mids must be fast fit and dynamic. It’s now trendy to say that you can’t play Ronnys formation and expect to keep a clean sheet but I tend to agree. This formation is great if you play high tempo pass and move but if you can’t or don’t have the ability to pass you better be damn quick to recover a mistake.
When we make a mistake the player is exposed with no support. That didn’t happen last season as we had a holding midfielder plus cover from two traditional centre mids.
I would Chang the formation and play two forwards behind the main striker. Have them narrow. Last nightwear had 3 behind the striker with two out wide and commons in the middle.
Playing one less man up front leaves an option for a proper holding midfielder. This gives us more protection and suits Biton or Charlie.
I would but Ronny won’t. I am sure with more practice that Johansen et al will get more successful with pressing and won’t lose the ball as much. Tongue in cheek.
philvisreturns
You have a set of chaps?
BocchiniBhoy. Craig Gordon is definately one of our better players what would happen if he decided like big Virg. to have a saunter up the field with the ball and when he is finished he can just saunter back the goal would be empty ? We need discipline and to keep our shape big Virg. is doing his own thing and imo it is dangerous he needs to get back to last years disciplined form. H.H.
mullet and co 2 – Last nightwear had 3 behind the striker with two out wide
I had my Simpsons pyjamas on. (thumbsup)
Izzie’s assist rate at knocking pie’s oot of supporters hauns biheen the goals is second to nane!
MWD said AYE
Re last night, I don’t go with “we were only playing a Div 1 team”, in my opinion Hearts are every bit as good if not better than Motherwell. We did play a lot better last night and should have won by more, it was a definite step in the right direction. McGregor has had a great run of games and he will be a great player for us but he could do with a break. We need to beef up the engine room and provide a bit of cover for the back four, particularly in the Europa.For the Zagreb game, I’d go Gordon, same back four (unless Lustig is fit) and have Brooney, Biton and either Kayal or Johansen with Commons and continue with Stokes plus Scepovic.
starry plough – there’s never any shortage of chaps, fellows, and gentlemen when you went to the right school. Mon the chaps!(thumbsup)
Car Parkers at the Lisbon Lion carpark……Did that wee Polis wifey eventually let you out…..
15K at the game and I had to be sitting in front of a right zoomer……..fair does, he disappeared at H/T…..probably got lost in the loos 2 way system
Was more impressed with Hearts last night than Motherwell on Sunday….
Paddy T
I would suggest for all you Izzy doubters is the next time you watch a game not involving the bhoys is to pay extra attention to the guys delivering the crosses.
I would not be surprised if the success rate is a LOT lower than might have been predicted.
I have seen it too often when someone describes a player putting good crosses in all evening when in reality it may have been 2 or 3 at most.
This is especially true of ex players (not just Celtic ones)
Corkcelt
Hearts were not near top 6 SPL level.
They had legs and energy. They did not have experience of years, positional sense as units and individual players, the tactics and determination and or mental strenght of a Top 6 SPL side.
They looked excited but inexperienced and weak.
MWD said AYE
Clinko
I don’t particularly care about other sides and their players crossing rates.
I want a player with Izzi’s legs and Tosh McKinlay’s crosses.
MWD said AYE
MWD
So you’re a leg man then…
The difference between this and last season is very clear. We are only playing 2 midfielders this year. Celtic will never prosper omo playing, more or less, 4 (if you can count Izaguirre), 2, 4. This gives every team Celtic play a fighting chance. I predict the opposition will capitalise at least one out of three times. Ridiculously and unnecessarily expansive.
Moonbeams, I said better than Motherwell, who are not a Top 6 SPL side either. My only point being that playing consecutive games against similar opposition, we showed a marked improvement. Aided of course by fact that Brooney played the entire 90 minutes.
Agree Johanson is too light weight and is muscled off the ball. Magreggor needs a rest. Enjoyed the game last night but we still looked fragile.good to see the new bhoy score he is a right handful will score a barrel load for us.stokes and Ozzie also looked good
Another shut out and win on Saturday required.
OIL! OIL! OIL!
They have found oil!
this country is going to be rich.
Errrmmmm! Naw – how no?
Whit dae yae mean it isny Scotlands oil?
Ah! A remember. The Scottish oil is rubbish but the UK oil! Wurf a megatron super nuke.
Could you imagine if they dafties pretended the oil thing wiz a big hoax jist tae scare some wee voters? Jist imagine? In thi sday and age people would still fall for that. Honestly? Dinny be daft nooo! Ah dinny believe yeeezzzz!
MWD said AYE
I really enjoyed last nights performance, we did create a lot of chances.
As others say, if Izzy could just cut the baw back, or hit it directly to a celt in the box, we would have scored many more.
I would rest mcgregor now.
also pondering, could the 2 new forwards be tried together in one game ?
Agathe was my favourite FB after Fergus and TG. Certainly the best inthe last 15 years
Corkcelt
Motherwell have proven to be Top six SPL this last few years. Positions change throughout the season but generally i view top 6 teams as per positions they finished in over last few seasons. I believe Motherwell were 2nd last season.
MWD said AYE
BocchiniBhoy
The abuse he used to get for some of his crossing especially in his latter games was unreal.
On his day he was fantastic though just never consistent enough.
I remember he gave Barry Ferguson a 20 yard start down the touch line and still skinned him
I was greatly concerned by the clean sheet last night.
I had a few quid on 3-1.
Corkcelt
I do agree on Broonie. He does make a difference.
But Hearts are way off the level of even the Motherwell’s of this world who are far better organised, fitter (Lasley apart), tactically astute, braver in the challenge and more experienced. Last nights Hearts side was youthfull exhuberance aided and abetted by some poor hoops play in patches of the game.
MWD said AYE