Defending is about systems, Starfelt will be missed

95

After being schooled at Celtic Park two weeks ago, Ferencvaros returned to Hungary to draw 0-0 at home to eighth place MTK Budapest, before getting some shooting practice by scoring seven in a cup game against a regional league struggler.  Last weekend they won 0-2 at 11th Gyirmot, relying on two second half goals.

They have not been taxed since leaving Glasgow and scarcely had to defend a chance.  They will be fresher than ‘our heroes who battled for a home draw against Livingston’, but this is not a team who are accustomed to questions being asked of them.

Wait for it: my biggest concern about tonight is the absence of Carl Starfelt – a phrase you didn’t expect to read a couple of months ago.  Defending is all about strong systems and strong systems are built by custom and practice.  The perpetual change in our back line and goalkeeper last season, brought about by so many abject performances, solved nothing and prevented play from looking remotely practiced.

Stephen Welsh has played against better opponents this season and will not be out of place in Budapest.  Still, consistency of selection is worth a few percentage points.

A draw should be enough to qualify for the Europa Conference League.  A win would make that secure and provide Ange with some midweek relief options in the critical weeks ahead.  So win it, please, Celtic.

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

95 Comments
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3

  1. Other younger & fitter Defensive Midfielders across the globe are also currently available.

     

     

    Go get them instead.

     

     

    Dontlookbackinanger csc

  2. BIGBHOY

     

    4TH NOVEMBER 2021 12:45 PM

     

    —–

     

    Unlike you, I am not worried – I’m resigned that we will come up short tonight. The rebuild and results appertaining will be a ‘stop & start’ process.

     

     

    This is a new team and just like new young players, will ‘blow hot & cold’ and be inconsistent. The Livingston game was not a “one off”, it was an example of ‘cold’.

     

     

    If we can build (& discard misfits) then perhaps the squad will gel next season – meantime we hope that Ibrox is more profligate than us – being on ‘hot’ when we play will certainly help.

  3. Greenapinata

     

     

    Julien is allegedly in full training, so we’ll see if he returns to fulfil what we paid for him.

     

     

    I think a better Wanyama comparison is James McCarthy, same age same injury prone status and fit in time for Christmas mibbee.

     

     

    The Vic we fondly remember is not what what we’d get instead we’d have ships that turn faster on the Clyde.

  4. See the usual s***e at 4:36. If you can big up the huns?. F. O

     

    Not being a mathematician, can someone work out how much free space there is in a penalty box with 11 opposition & 6 Celtic players and a referee in the mix including movement of said bodies. Maybe explain why only 2 shots getting through to goalkeeper.

     

    Anyway have faith in Ange and the bhoys. No sleep tonight K.off at 03::00 oor time.

     

    C’Mon the Tic’

     

    HH

  5. martin o'seville on

    Sorry to hear about rocky the cat.

     

    Wanna hear about George the cat?

     

    A lot of folk don’t like the idea of a socialist cat who tells it as it is.

     

    That is a unique quality in this day and age.

     

    Some folk of these days feel threatened by a cat with steel balls.

     

    Especially when most folk are, too precious, to be told uncomfortable truths.

     

    These days, precious folk prefer, comforting lies.

     

    That’s why Celtic fc has fallen morally in the last decade.

     

    That’s what has become of the world we live in I’m afraid.

     

    Put seats in all football stadiums, on the fly, and you create a society of poodles and sheep.

     

    30 years since Hillsborough and the working classes only have one voice speaking for them.

     

    Most Celtic fans will not have heard that voice, because 99.9% of Celtic fans have been brainwashed by the toxic lying, propagandists of MSM, SMSM, 10 years of anti-Celtic cheating and corruption of a biblical scale, has been met with, 10 years of nothing, zilch, nada, zero, from whatever has become of the Celtic support.

     

    The last 10 years of inaction from Celtic fans surely bears that out.

     

    It led to Celtic fans in 2016 being tricked into, setting the bears free, especially David Murray, after the whatever has become of the Celtic support, fell for the PLC old firm ticket same price, same club, ticket trap.

     

    4th time this year that the cat called George’s life has been threatened.

     

    And you need to go to Pakistan MSM to read about it.

     

    https://thepakistandaily.com/george-galloway-and-his-family-threatened-on-twitter/

     

    Shaking my head productions dot com

  6. Shuggys36Goals on

    Although some will tell you we’ll be lucky to come third in tonights match, I’m hopeful of a decent result against a team that at least tries to play fitba.

     

    2 nil to the hoops.

  7. Rock Tree Bhoy on

    GREENPINATA on 3RD NOVEMBER 2021 9:05 PM

     

     

    For God’s sake a blog relies on debate and posts.of all shades of opinion

     

     

    There are rules and if a poster breaks them he / she should face the consequences.

     

     

    Our traffic is down and you want to remove a prolific poster. Just what rules has he broken.?

     

     

    The amount of sheep on here who follow the herd is staggering. Play the post, not the poster.

     

     

     

    _____________________________________________________________

     

     

    Have to agree wholeheartedly with this Greenpinta

     

     

    when JHB posts its an embarrassing pile on with one with one smart alec reposte after another,

     

     

    you want him to retire because you don’t like what he posts – seriously?

     

     

    Facebook would be much more appropriate for some of the stuff thats posted on here.

  8. AIPPLE on 4TH NOVEMBER 2021 5:24 PM

     

    POR CIERTO

     

    “Who is the arrow pointing at?”

     

     

    Me! :)) por ciert0

  9. Europa Conference League , who cares , we should be aiming well above that level of competition , oh and by the way has big julien decided when he will be available for selection, only asking.

  10. ROCK TREE BHOY on 4TH NOVEMBER 2021 5:14 PM

     

    GREENPINATA on 3RD NOVEMBER 2021 9:05 PM

     

     

     

    For God’s sake a blog relies on debate and posts.of all shades of opinion

     

     

    There are rules and if a poster breaks them he / she should face the consequences.

     

     

    Our traffic is down and you want to remove a prolific poster. Just what rules has he broken.?

     

     

    The amount of sheep on here who follow the herd is staggering. Play the post, not the poster.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    _____________________________________________________________

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Have to agree wholeheartedly with this Greenpinta

     

     

    when JHB posts its an embarrassing pile on with one with one smart alec reposte after another,

     

     

    you want him to retire because you don’t like what he posts – seriously?

     

     

    Facebook would be much more appropriate for some of the stuff thats posted on here.

     

     

    ==========*****========

     

     

    But if the smart alecs didn’t post the posts would be down surely ?

     

    😜😜😜😜😜😜

  11. Celtic created numerous chances against the Hungarians quite apart from the two goals they scored at Celtic Park which I think augurs well for tonight’s match. Joe Hart has his defence well martialled in recent matches with Starfelt starting to settle after a shaky start to his time at Celtic Park. Young Welsh will slot in nicely with his academy comrade Anto Ralston there to keep him company. Great to see young Ralston getting a new contract and watching the lads great form recently no doubt a star of the future. Fingers crossed for a result tonight.

  12. Rock Tree Bhoy on

    BOGNORBHOY on 4TH NOVEMBER 2021 5:31 PM

     

     

    Quality wanted mate not quantity!

     

     

    Only joking – I have no issue with all the pally wally stuff that gets posted on here – but when they all gang up and go for a poster they dont like for whatever reason – not a fan of that. Play the post and not the man.

  13. spikeysauldman on

    JHB @ 4.36

     

     

    Agreed

     

    We’ll be patchy from week to week and even patchy with games

  14. spikeysauldman on

    BIG JIMMY

     

     

    RIP Rocky The Cat

     

     

    I feel your pain big man

     

     

    We’ve got 5 graves out the back and 3 live cats right now.

     

     

    Get yourself a wee rescue cat. It’ll never be Rocky but it’ll soon be best your pal.

  15. Big Jimmy

     

     

    Sorry to hear of the loss of your cat ‘ wee Rocky’ take care big fella.

     

     

    KEEP THE FAITH

  16. “BIG WAVY on 4TH NOVEMBER 2021 4:14 PM

     

    Mmmmm…

     

    Livi home and away and St Johnstone at home (where we followed the same pattern for a long time in the game) are providing us with evidence that suggests we can’t break teams that sit in against us”

     

     

    There is more evidence that we can.

  17. Just watched a couple of minutes of the Sevco game. Is the Ref Scottish? Sakala (?) could consider himself lucky to be still on the pitch.

  18. Melbourne Mick on

    Hello again all you young rebels

     

     

    Footy morn and up with the lark, although it’s up with the

     

    Parrots here.

     

    Wee crusty roll and Scotch pie and a glass of the biddy for

     

    half time, the breakfast of champions.

     

    Expecting a good result tonight with the bhoys coming out

     

    the traps rapidly to make up for the Livi aberration.

     

    Sorry to hear about the wee fella Big Jimmy.

     

    H H Mick

  19. When does the relentless criticism of the sevco defence constantly lookinh dodgy at and conceding from set pieces begin? Because they do. Despite having a defence that has played together for two years.

  20. BOGNORBHOY on 4TH NOVEMBER 2021 5:31 PM

     

    ROCK TREE BHOY on 4TH NOVEMBER 2021 5:14 PM

     

     

     

     

    GREENPINATA on 3RD NOVEMBER 2021 9:05 PM

     

     

     

     

    Play the post, not the poster.

     

     

    ——————

     

     

    Guys walks into your supporters club.

     

     

    Rants and raves with many incoherent statements, calls you sheep for supporting the team. For buying your much cherished season book, Questions you about your politics, throws his own made up stats infering your a traitor to your religion and history, tells you your bhoys in the green brigade and their mates are attention seeking youths.

     

     

    Moves on to tell you I am toght, your all wrong.

     

     

    What happens next ?

  21. ROBERTTRESSELL on 4TH NOVEMBER 2021 6:39 PM

     

    St Stivs – everyone gets tearful, hug and make up? Am I right?

     

     

     

    MELBOURNE MICK on 4TH NOVEMBER 2021 6:40 PM

     

    STIVS

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Blood spatter on the walls ?

     

     

     

     

    H H Mick

     

     

    ———–

     

     

    in the greenock shammy it ended up with somone lying at the bottom of the stairs.

     

     

    so, my point is, if you dish it out, your gonny get some of it back.

     

     

    and aye, maybe the majority will pile on.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3