I liked a lot about what we did last night. Leigh Griffiths provided more evidence that he is a remarkable predator. Kris Commons delivered another driven corner, his third of this European campaign to result in a goal, Lustig made first contact leaving Griffiths with only instinct to produce a shot on target. That same instinct clicked an instant later to turn the second shot over the keeper and into the net.
Do you remember a moment, before the first goal, when Fenerbahce enjoyed their best spell of pressure, and we cleared our lines aimlessly four times in a couple of minutes? It looked ugly and invited Fenerbahce to continue to pile the pressure on, but it was a salutary indication of how tactically well Celtic played. When under pressure, clear your lines, regroup, and get ready to go again.
On two occasions we dribbled out of a defensive position leading to a goal. Nir Bitton had ample opportunity to clear forward, but with opponents closing space all around him, he hesitated until he could play-in James Forrest, who surge forward to cross for Commons to score.
Scott Brown as immense all night, but having held-off a challenge 20 yards from his own goal on the wing, he should have cleared deep inside Fenerbahce territory instead of trying to make a pass. We didn’t get the ball back until the score was 2-2. Johansen and Lustig were both caught similarly in the second half but neither was punished. Being brave in possession isn’t always wise.
Some of the passing football we played was a treat to watch. Bitton and Brown played their best game as a partnership, if not as individuals in a Celtic shirt; Brown was certainly that good. James Forrest, now fit, is drinking-in responsibility. He was effective last night, but not because he used his unparalleled pace, instead he delivered link play.
You’ll have noticed Craig Gordon likes a leg save. Few keepers do, they seem to try to get their hands or torso to a ball, but I like that Craig likes getting any hard part of his body in the way.
Don’t let it bounce.
“Don’t let it bounce.” There’s not a central defender in the world who doesn’t hear that phrase every week. When a ball is coming towards the danger zone in the air, get your head on it. If you let it bounce, anything can happen.
This was Efe Ambrose first mistake last night. He failed to read the flight of the ball. The moment it bounced, he was in trouble. With Fernandao waiting to feed on the scraps, Efe should then have concentrated on winning the physical challenge as the ball dropped a second time, but instead he found his ‘don’t let the ball bounce’ instinct too late and committed a second inexcusable error.
Think back almost three years to the opening minutes of the Champions League game against Juventus, Efe committed pretty much the same mistake. He lost the flight of the ball and we were a goal down and out before we warmed up.
Although Efe is taking a large slice of the blame in some places for the second Fenerbahce goal, I’m not convinced this is a fair assessment. To give due credit, it was an excellent corner and header – from a zone in front near post it’s difficult to score from. The point about zonal marking is you defend areas it’s easy to score from, at the cost of leaving less-risky areas unattended. Fernandao’s header didn’t come from a high-risk zone.
For some reason, wispy Leigh Griffiths was delegated to man-mark bulky target-man Fernandao. Wee guys can block big guys, but they need to be standing ball-side of the attacker, preferably facing his chest with arms out, so that when movement happens, he’s at least the right side of the attacker. Leigh was on his heels, completely unprepared.
Before the kick was struck, Fernandao was on the move, gambling on a near-post run. Should Efe have also gambled similarly? On first glance it looked like it, but that’s only because the ball went to that area and ended up in the net. Fernandao could afford to gamble by running into a space the ball may or may not arrive at. This is not the case for a defender. He has to wait until the ball is in the air. If he leaves his zone before the ball’s kicked to follow an attacker who has move early, he’s not doing his job.
It’s all about the block.
Great corner aside, we lost the second goal because we didn’t get a block on Fenerbahce’s target man. Before the kick was taken, Leigh Griffiths was adjacent to and looking at Fernandao, having been delegated the task by the impressive Kieran Tierney, but Leigh was also looking all around him and made no attempt to block.
Griffiths (5’ 8”), the smallest man in the Celtic team, should never have been near Fernandao (6’ 4”), the tallest man in the Fenerbahce team. That’s 8 inches of disadvantage and double figures of kilos weight.
There are two big questions to be asked about this goal:
Why didn’t we have a physical equal on Fernandao, capable of withstanding a shove, or better still, getting his own shove in first? Fenerbahce had one target man striker, we didn’t notice him. It doesn’t matter if you play zonal or man-to-man, if we are conceding 8 inches to the opponent’s main physical threat, we’ll continue to lose goals at corner kicks.
But the real curious question is why was it left to 18-year-old Kieran Tierney to instruct who picks up whom at a corner kick? Action moves so quickly at corners that everyone needs to understand they have a responsibility to take control, not just the central defenders, captain, or keeper. Or 18-year-old novice.
This is not happening at Celtic right now, which is why we’re playing our European football on Thursdays this season. If you put your smallest player on an opponent’s tallest, and it’s left to an 18-year-old to delegate responsibility, you deserve to lose a goal.
Last Man Standing 5
Last call for all those wanting to take part in Last Man Standing 5, in aid of Wee Shay McGinlay who is 2 and suffers from cerebral palsy. To date CQNers and friends have raised an incredible £5400 towards the fund raising campaign, to finance treatment for Shay not available on the NHS, which will hopefully improve his quality of life.
The current entrants stand at 72, so if you want to take join the LMS5 clique, then simply drop a line to Jobo and CRC at cqnlastmanstanding@gmail.com before 12pm Saturday and they will send you more details.
Thanks for indulging me bringing the work of the Foundation to your attention all this week. The Great Scottish Run is less than 48 hours away and dozens of Celtic fans have put thousands of hours into preparing for the event. Those doing the ‘half’ are going to miss the Hamilton game, another consequence of playing Thursday night European football.
If you can support any of the runners, please do:
Click here for my linked donation page.
Thank you.
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A wee indulgence from me for tonight.
Hope all are well.
http://wp.me/p6DYht-5j
Tony’s Giving Tree
No One Walks Alone
The Huddle.
.Can we get the SNP to pump Steriods into the school milk….Why, do you want some in Yours?…
I said last night that we must stop making excuses for EA, had if been a one off mistake I could accept that, but enough’s enough, he is a liability, sorry everyone but he has to go, his time is up.
Gerry, although the Europa League does not have the prestige or the income of the Champions League, I think football wise, its a better competition to watch.
Despite Sevilla winning two out of the last three Europa Leagues, there is a better chance of different clubs getting to the quarter and semi finals than the big clubs in the Champions League.
If Paton/Peton is found guilty,it will be interesting to see what media coverage will be given to it.
Since the night Lukasz was attacked, Mark Wilson , can’t stay at a club . Utd let him go then he had a short spell at Dumbarton.
Very pleasant tone on the blog tonight. Long may it continue.
That’s it for me and my inane drivel tonight.
Good night all and sleep well
RON67 on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 10:16 PM
I said last night that we must stop making excuses for EA, had if been a one off mistake I could accept that, but enough’s enough, he is a liability, sorry everyone but he has to go, his time is up.
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You on a loop?
DO DO WAN RON RON
Gordon64, i was looking forward to the bbc 4 show but knowing that wee jobby Nevin is on it, might lessen my enjoyment of it.
I’ll record it later and fast forward the bits that wee jobby is on it.
RWE
Fantastic story
Melbourne Mick
I also enjoy your posts mate
HT,
What a pressie!! She’s some wummen that yin.
Way too good for a reprobate like you ;-)
We all well thanks mate.
Catch up later mate.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
VOGUEPUNTER on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 10:18 PM
don’t make any more excuses enough’s enough he has to go ,hopeless
HT
Mail sent
Dallas…
Wee Mark Wilson was probably a bit young to be taught by Mr Cushley but probably got taught RE with a certain Mr Collum
Sleep well and Hail Hail
An honest question. Why on earth do posters on here say things like “I’ll text you” or I’ll pm you? Why post ‘secret’ or semi ‘secret’ stuff? I’m not interested. just text them no need to mention it on here. Stop trying to be cliquey.
Effe is not the problem. Our manager selected a player who has on many occasions been prone to the odd mistake in big games. What did RD expect to happen by playing Effe at CH ? It was no surprise to me or the rest of CP.
GERRYFAETHEBRIG on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 10:24 PM
Wee Mark Wilson was probably a bit young to be taught by Mr Cushley but probably got taught RE with a certain Mr Collum
Sleep well and Hail Hail
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Probably the first and last time I’ll ever say this but…..ehhhh……whit school did he go tae? :-)
BGX on 2nd October 2015 10:16 pm
.Can we get the SNP to pump Steriods into the school milk….Why, do you want some in Yours?…
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I take mine without milk, you have to trick kids into taking them, obviously
VOGUEPUNTER on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 10:18 PM
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DO DO WAN RON RON
Only person that needs to do DO DO WAN is EA
Mark Wilson was finished at Dundee Utd, couldnt get a contract at Dumbarton…Now earning his money from Bbc…Lets see how that goes..my bet…he ends up another bonnar….it all senses of the word…
Ah, the stop trying to be cliquey clique.
Good Call.
RWE
Awesome and very humbling
Is it Tony’s birthday on 3rd ? If so you can still celebrate a great Bhoy
Hail Hail
JIMTHETIM53
Sorry I won’t do it again
The Huddle…Sorry…Disturbing post…Be well…
BGX, I think Mark Wilson is one of the better BBC pundits. He certainly doesn’t have an agenda against Celtic.
Just two remarks, probably of no interest to anyone on here, but that’s never stopped me before, so why now?
In approx. 24 hours it shall be exactly 34 years since I first met my late wife Barbro. I would still like to thank the many fine people on here for their kind messages 6 years ago, never forgotten.
I’ve taken some flack for my attitude to Celtic/Rangers/Hatred/bigotry and how we all perceive it. No matter.
I just hope some (many) of you have had the opportunity to watch the Rugby WC on tv.
Seriously hard men playing a seriously hard game. No diving – you would be finished immediately, from all sides.
No mobbing the referee, it’s against the rules which everyone accepts. Self-discipline anyone?.
Tonight’s match – NZ v Georgia – eventually finished as expected, but that didn’t stop the spectators cheering every good period of play from either side (maybe a bit more for the underdogs) and I mean ALL the spectators.
That, for me, is the epitome of being a Celtic supporter. We applaud the good, we deplore the bad and we don’t hate, we rise above it.
As usual, cheers, best wishes and no apologies.
Alex
GORDON64 on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 10:28 PM
Effe is not the problem.
Your having a laugh.
Imo our manager selects players more suited to fit his ‘system’ and gives less consideration to selecting the best 11 players to win a game.
Gerryfaethebrig,
Thanks, I will se you there.
Clogher
Jimthetim53…
Then he wont be working at bbc for long….Simple..No Tim is Allowed to be Pro Celtic on Bbc…Soouptakers are welcome….Pro Celtic..
Na…
JIMTHETIM53 on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 10:25 PM
An honest question. Why on earth do posters on here say things like “I’ll text you” or I’ll pm you? Why post ‘secret’ or semi ‘secret’ stuff? I’m not interested. just text them no need to mention it on here. Stop trying to be cliquey.
——
It was quite important and although I knew BT was on the blog I didn’t if he had his phone with him.
Blantyre Tim, don’t take it personal against you. I see it often. Anyway, I think it might have been you a couple of years ago, sleeping in and trying to get to see Celtic up north. The wife had to drive you there? It was hilarious. Was that you? I honestly was in bits reading it.
Anyone know of any companies that take on Accountancy Graduates for 2016 that My bhoy could apply to. Thanks in advance.
Ron & Gordon. There is only one F in Efe. He made a terrible blunder, the guy is devastated, lay off him, he is and will be a member of our squad at least until Christmas, if he is selected he will try his hardest. He can recover for this, if he plays he needs our support. I was proud of my fellow supporters who stood up and clapped him as he left the field at half time. As a player he might be better suited to play midfield but we are overloaded in that department.
GORDON64 on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 10:36 PM
Imo our manager selects players more suited to fit his ‘system’ and gives less consideration to selecting the best 11 players to win a game.
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Don’t all football managers have a preferred approach (or ‘system’ as you put it) and pick players they think will do the job? They do it in the expectation that their approach is the right way to win the game. No?
Jimthetim53 text me and I’ll tell you why they all email each other. It’s a giant clique on here don’t you know.
Ann Budge looks like Cilla’s Spittin Image puppet
Alex
Take care, you are always welcome here, hope you are as well as you can be
Somebody Posted that instead of picking players to play Ronnies 4-2-3-1 we should pick the Best Players and find a System ti suit Them…HELLLOOOOO YESSSS YOUUUU…Ronnys System is 4-2-3-1…he Believes That System Can Conquer Better Players Better Teams…He Believes that, He Has since He arrived….To All you Lets get Two up front Merchants….LISTEN…..NEVA GONNA HAPPEN…
LENNON’S PASSION on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 10:42 PM
Anyone know of any companies that take on Accountancy Graduates for 2016 that My bhoy could apply to. Thanks in advance.
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Some here mate :
http://www.accaglobal.com/uk/en/qualifications/accountancy-career/ukgraduates/graduateschemes.html
Jimthetim53…
Just to give you an update on why I said An Tearman text me, it was because he had no internet connection.
For other reasons, maybe some do the same, or their wives check up on them.;)