Back in October 2011 I was for calling an end to the Neil Lennon experiment. During the previous season he lost the league after a late collapse, while exiting Europe in August after defeats to Braga and Utrecht. That season Sion’s insistence in not playing by the rules allowed us a backdoor ticket to the Europa League but we were 10 points behind Ally McCoist’s Rangers.
Subsequent events proved there was not enough evidence on show to judge the Neil Lennon era early in his second season. Neil pulled things together, finished a credible third in the Europa League group and never looked back.
Ronny Deila has already made mistakes in his Celtic tenure but does anyone seriously believe he has had the opportunity and resources to build a team? Of course not. He needs to sort out the many cousins of George Weah who have arrived recently from the genuine John Guidetti’s. He needs players who can pass the ball with reasonable accuracy but most of all he needs players of courage and attitude.
I would probably be singing a different tune if we still had Rangers to contend with, long-term development objectives are important but the short-term need to win the league remains absolute, but we don’t, which means short-term targets remain well within grasp.
The memory of Rangers’ many mistakes in the years before liquidation offers another lesson. They sacked Paul Le Guen six months into a badly needed overhaul project. Le Guen was appointed months before he took up the reins and had enough time to watch his new team and scout transfer targets, but even that wasn’t enough to ensure a smooth transition, as he found the Weahs living in Austria. Le Guen was decrying his as a heretic by a club incapable of change.
Despite the tiredness after Thursday and a plethora of injuries, Celtic had enough resources to swamp a tiny football club yesterday. That we didn’t, suggests Ronny has a big job on his hands. From the frustration shown by Scott Brown and Stefan Johansen at their team-mates yesterday, I suggest he builds his recovery around these two.
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BGX, We will have Balde, Pukki & Dylan back, we will be grand. )-
HT
How many was there after game?
Only kiddin
How many online?
MWD said AYE
Tony Pullis would be a good shout I think. He is more progressive as a coach than you think. He worked within his means at Stoke and did a great job at Palace.
I dont agree that Billy Davies is a relic yet. He may still have a reasonable level job in him.
Not sure what options we would have if RD doesnt work out and we need a short term fix?
Henrik? – Johan Mjällby was not positive on his ability or personality.
David Moyes – not going to happen.
Owen Coyle – Dont think so.
Eric Black – Would that be back to the future a la Davies?
Malky Mackay – Spent £40m, not sure he would be interested, and if he did come, he’d be away to the EPL asap.
Dont know who else would be of interest.
Kojo
Ive been saying for years that Broonie’s not good enough, on his day I love the guy but he cant pass, doesnt score enough and for one reason or another has missed too many big games. Time to get the youngsters in
HH
BGX
Thats not what I said, I feel what he says is different to what a lot of managers say, but I’m not just a yes man who agrees with everything he says.
Did you buy into ‘I want to bring the thunder back?’ were you a Lennon man or a Strachan man.
Or did you use the exact same quote you just did when Lennon struggled or when Strachan got pumped in Bratislava and just change the name?
BGX ok I give up what will happen?
bournesouprecipe
Happy Birthday
Hope you have had a good day and there’s still more to come!
Right.
Can we just get back to slagging Sevco.
Forget about the shambles at Celtic. Turn a blind eye. Nothing to see there.
It’s all succulent lamb and the finest of Red Wines.
Sevco going into Admin this century? Yeaahhhhh. Canny wait me!
MWD said AYE
DBBIA / Thunder rd
Running out of numbers but able to appreciate the finer things in life
Corkcelt…cheers man…now im in a real good mood …nooooooooo
See until Celtic are the exact sare as they were when they won every game 5-0 and every player that starts meets my approval I’ll no be back so ah’ll no.
Take that Dermot Desmond and Peter Lawwell.
BSR….many happy returns!!
HH
Gerry
It could be worse you could be watching Cheltenham Town v Bristol City in the Johnson’s Paints tonight
If you’re not careful CSC
GerryBhoy
Spes Unica CSC
HH
More accurately the negativity on here is too much for me.
I’m away for a few weeks.
Flouncy flouncy……
Can’t agree with you Paul.
The only thing I would build around johanssen would be a brick wall with no exit door.
Nobody wants to dump a Manager after 17 competitive games, and I’m certain all Tims on here desperately want Ronny to turn things around and make a success of the job. However in everything in life there is a breaking point, when is enough, enough. If we lose our next game to Ross County, if we lose our next 2 games, if we fall 10 points behind another team. i.e. If the league destination is taken out of our hands. OK I realise I’m being a drama queen but I honestly never expected to drop 10 points out of 24. We only dropped 15 points in the total season last year. Add to that the 7-1 aggregate thrashing by Warsaw and our home defeat by Maribor and its understandable why the natives are restless.
bournesouprecipe
Now that would be a nice pressy to unwrap :P
Maybe next year eh?!
BSR – we have shown no ambitions in the Johnstone paint trophy. No Jp trophy experienced players or coaches. And don’t start me on the Petrofeck Cup. We’re not even in the same league.
Flouncing for real this time.
Have fun.
bournesouprecipe
17:01 on 6 October, 2014
It could be worse you could be watching Cheltenham Town v Bristol City in the Johnson’s Paints tonight
If you’re not careful CSC
———————
just going into the bookies to stick money on a 4-4 draw now you said that
hopefully the bristol citys will be bouncing by the end of the game
OooooooooErrrrrrrMissusCSC
BSR
Hope ‘the finer things in life’ pops out your cake and sings a ‘lispy’ – Happy Birthday to you!
Broonie needs good players around him. He is a grafter and a motivator. When he has poor players around him, he tries to do too much himself and his weaknesses are exposed. I like him in the side, but Johansen doesn’t do it for me.
Robert 88….comparing managerial records to justify a point of view wont wash….i asked for One area we have improved,Hebcelt said goalkeeper,i dont know maybe,that apart not one person has said anything…nobody…wonder why that is….
As everyone else seems to have had their say on Ronny’s performance so far, I may as well chip in with my thoughts. I have been at all the home games this season apart from the Hearts game. It has certainly been hard going at times.
There are a few facts which can’t be argued with:
The same players as played last season after the January transfer window are still there, minus Forster and Samaras, yet the performances are unrecognisable.
There seems to be no Plan B, with a strict adherence to a 4231 formation even when it’s obviously not working. Scott Brown and Stefan Johansen are being asked to do too much with little help, and as a result their own performances are suffering. We are regularly being outnumbered in midfield.
Their frustration was obvious yesterday.
Many of the substitutions are unfathomable, such as the Salzburg game which was crying out for reinforcements for midfield and we put on Stokes to play up front on his own, when we all know that doesn’t work, especially in Europe.
At times the players don’t really seem to know what their role is. An obvious example was the last 20 minutes on Sunday when Griffiths, Stokes, and Commons all seemed to be crowding each other, only made worse when big Virgil was sent up font on a fruitless rescue mission. Meanwhile the only player we paid a transfer fee for this summer is sitting unused on the bench. What will that do for his confidence?
I was happy to buy into the Ronny experiment – some new ideas to freshen up the team. Instead we have deteriorated, quite alarmingly at times, and I can’t see where we are going. I desperately wanted Ronny to succeed, but I don’t think it’s going to happen. I think he talks a good game but can’t back it up. He seems to be the sort of person who would probably shine in an interview situation, promising much, but totally failing to deliver when he got the job.
So where do we go from here?
As far as the team is concerned we are stuck with the personnel we have for the next 3 months. That does not worry me. I think we have the players to turn this round, but first we need to ditch the inflexibility.
It was good to hear that we should have some players back from injury after the international break. We miss Lustig at right back. We can all see that Efe isn’t comfortable there, although he never hides. It was noticeable after Tonev came on yesterday that he was quite happy to leave Efe to take responsibility for our attacks down the right, while he seemed to drift into a more congested central position.
In the early part of the Hamilton game when we performed best it was noticeable that Jason Denayer saw more of the ball than any other player, and rarely wasted a ball going forward.
When Lustig returns at right back I would like to pair up Efe and Virgil in central defence, reuniting our record breaking back four from last season. I think Denayer has the potential to be a top class defensive midfielder and I would like to see him play there in front of our central defenders. This would fill the big gap that appears when Brown and Johansen are pressing forward, and allow each of them to resort to their natural right and left midfield positions. It would also provide us with defensive cover when either Efe or Virgil move forward, a job Charlie Mulgrew took care of last season during our long run of shut outs.
In the forward positions I am less sure what our best options are at the moment, except that a fully fit John Guidetti would be my main striker, with various combinations possible depending on the opposition.
Kris Commons has made a huge contribution to Celtic since he arrived, but things don’t seem right with him at the moment. His first touch has always been a weakness, but is now consistently awful.
The next team selection will be a significant one as far as I’m concerned. Will Ronny learn from his mistakes? Will he show a flexibility that has been missing so far?
I’m not convinced what the answers to those questions will be.
Change is needed at boardroom level. Changing the manager achieves nothing.
BSR
Many Hoopy Returns!
Time to fly home. Can’t wait.
HH jamesgang
RobertTressell
Put that flouncing down, flouncing is for losers.
bournesouprecipe
13:48 on 6 October, 2014
At last a sensible post telling it how it is.
I’m not convinced by Guidette either.
A substandard team with a dud of a boss.
robobhoy
Johanssen is not a bad player. He didn’t turn into a bad player over night. He showed enough last season to prove he can be a good player for Celtic.
Looking at the team too many players are out of position.
My team barring injuries the next game would be as follows.
Gordon
Fisher
VVD
Denayer
Izzy
Ambrose
Brown
Johanssen
McGregor
Commons
Guidetti
Play players in the position they are most comfortable and if Fisher is the only fit full back in the squad play him!
Ambrose can help shore up that area between midfield and defence when the full backs bomb forward we become a 3 at the back. VVD also likes to take a run forward and this will allow protection. Johanssen is never a holding midfielder. Ambrose is never a RB. Stokes is not a winger. Commons is not a midfielder. Griffiths is not a winger.
Until the gaffer starts to play players where they are most comfortable we will struggle when we go a goal down because players are outwith their comfort zone.
Just my opinion but playing a man out of position works for one off matches like Sutton at CB. Long term these guys will either get found out or be unable to play their natural game.
I would prefer to see Forrest play but I’m not sure when he is back. I would also prefer two strikers but think that Commons is the best option behind a main striker for through balls to Guidetti.
It will be frustrating to watch Brown boss the game and run riot for Scotland on Saturday. The guy is a different player for Scotland. I hope Ronny is watching that match and works out how to get the best from the captain.
LB
BGX
Striking options, Guidetti.
That makes two.
Its a valid point, everyone here moans like hell about RD with a few exceptions, yet every other manager going back nearly ten years has started their tenure just like his.
Everyone wants a quick fix, that just doesn’t exist.
RD has views and his ways of wanting to play the game, it appears that it is a big shift for what the players have been used to over the past three or four years under Lennon, that is natural.
What were you expecting?
dim sam & 5.07
When Lustig returns at right back I would like to pair up Efe and Virgil in central defence, reuniting our record breaking back four from last season. I think Denayer has the potential to be a top class defensive midfielder and I would like to see him play there in front of our central defenders. This would fill the big gap that appears when Brown and Johansen are pressing forward, and allow each of them to resort to their natural right and left midfield positions. It would also provide us with defensive cover when either Efe or Virgil move forward…….
……… I like this. I like it a lot. Needs lustig to stay fit. And that’s the flaw in the plan. Pains me to day so cos I’m a big lustig fan.
HH jamesgang
foghorn
(⊙_⊙)
prae
I’ll ask, but I’m not confident
jamesgang
HH bon voyage
twentyfirstofmaynineteenseventynine
16:34 on 6 October, 2014
Che Guevara
No problem. He’s well thought of as a coach though I think he does have a bit of the street fighter about him. Not sure hes quite yet in the same throwback bracket as Barry Fry and Ron Manager though!:) He would be mad to risk the wrath of the hordes and join the enemy! :) I figure he’ll be the succesor to the Cheeky Chappie.
robobhoy
HH
AidenBhoy….i dont like the manager i think he’s dud but i agree totally,the club needs changed at boardroom level….
If Anthony Stokes had converted even half the chances that he had yesterday this blog would be so different.
mayod
17:18 on 6 October, 2014
If Anthony Stokes had converted even half the chances that he had yesterday this blog would be so different.
—-
I’m working with him now. Visualisation exercises.
Imagine the ball is an elvis impersonator. Hasn’t missed a header yet.
Trust me.
HH jamesgang
Robert 88…i was expecting better performances than ive saw…Guidetti i really hope so,but i think he will be off soon as he can….anyway…lets hope after the International break we have the full squad fit then we will see…