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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JIMTHETIM53
Can’t remember , I have posted many daft things on here drunk and sober 8))
NatKnow on 2nd October 2015 10:44 pm
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?
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Exactly why have a manager if you don’t let him do his thing? Might as well go back to having a committee picking the team
Bada
Have you seen the footage of the Hearts’ supporters trying to burn an Irish tricolour outside the ground last week?
The closest I saw to an arrest was a Celtic supporter who was making his feelings known.
CORKCELT on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 10:44 PM
There is only one F in Efe.
I was one of those fans who clapped, take off your blinkers EA is a liability, we have far better midfield players on the bench who can’t get a game .
AAFG
Anotheralexfaegovan….yiv been away that long it took me a good 10 seconds
to figure oot yir initials :O)
Good to hear from you hope you are well.hh
ron67
What excuse??? Yir a hun GTF!
Belated thanks for the Pub guides in puerto del Carmen
INatKbow… Apologies about the school stuff but feel free to fling your tuppence worth in as its blog and that’s how it works, I had a conversation about John Cushley , somebody mentioned Mark Wilsin and Willue Collum taught at the same school, feel free to turn the post or posts into whatever way you read them
Alex
You were one of the posters that I remember when I first started on here.
You and many like you are missed.
https://youtu.be/jWkMhCLkVOg
What’s the frequency Efe?
Lovely guy and has played well in recent weeks but if you pick him you must know that’s a possibility.
HH
VOGUEPUNTER on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 10:51 PM
ron67
What excuse??? Yir a hun GTF!
What excuse, EA is an excuse for a DEFENDER.
HAMILTONTIM on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 8:00 PM
SLOLEYBHOY on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 7:28 PM
Sorry but who posted the original comment at the top of your post?
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/fine-performance-marred-by-bigger-failings-than-efe/comment-page-6/#comments
Sorry, posted my comments then headed off. I think you got the answer..
Really disappointed that Efe is suspended for game tomorrow, he would have been my first name on the team sheet.
Another point from Thursday’s match, great to see young Tierney given his opportunity and performing so well. Brave selection from our Manager and one that has been overlooked in the rush to highlight a scapegoat. I am sure there are 2 or 3 more in the youths who would benefit from the experience, Nesbitt springs to mind.
Lennon’s passion, The Scottish Prison Service are great employers and develop staff. There HQ is near the Gyle in Edinburgh. They are always worth an application no matter what the degree, they don’t care about that so much. It’s the person.
Natknow Fair comment. But when the opposition has our game plan sussed RD appears devoid of ideas to out manoeuvre them. He sticks to his system regardless at the expense of a more creative and expansive style of play. HH
GERRYFAETHEBRIG on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 10:52 PM
INatKbow… Apologies about the school stuff but feel free to fling your tuppence worth in as its blog and that’s how it works, I had a conversation about John Cushley , somebody mentioned Mark Wilsin and Willue Collum taught at the same school, feel free to turn the post or posts into whatever way you read them
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Was just a wee joke mate! I know where WC taught RE and have a friend who was in the same department. Believe it or not I attended an interview a couple of years ago and the woman interviewing me asked “Do you support Rangers? It would be really good if you did…”. She’s probably still extracting her job from where I suggested she put it… :-)
Hearts came out with a strong statement re the anti-social behaviour of their fans on a train last week, that’s to be commended. However it would make more of an impact if they decried the anti-Irish and anti-Catholic bigotry exhibited by their fans inside our stadium and around its environs.
More than a marker pen in a toilet.
HH
https://youtu.be/ONc3OMOb98I
Looking for Linda
anauldbirdCSC
roy croppie on 2nd October 2015 10:54 pm
https://youtu.be/jWkMhCLkVOg
What’s the frequency Efe?
Lovely guy and has played well in recent weeks but if you pick him you must know that’s a possibility.
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Whatever happened to REM, biggest band in the world for a few years, not even a hint of some sort of comeback.
GORDON64 on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 10:57 PM
Natknow Fair comment. But when the opposition has our game plan sussed RD appears devoid of ideas to out manoeuvre them. He sticks to his system regardless at the expense of a more creative and expansive style of play. HH
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What is RD’s system would you say? And how does it compare with Lenny’s or WGS’s systems? Was the football we watched under those managers creative and expansive? I don’t remember it as such to be honest, but you could be right. What I would say is that with the current approach we don;t seem to change tactic in-game when it sometimes appears that we really should.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CP3OJtmWwAAy4G8.jpg
The Original Holy Goalie in the San Siro
HH
Blantyre Tim and VoguePunter
Sincere thanks.
Forget how I am. I’m still here – just don’t wan’t to be anymore.
Wan’t some fun?
Like rock’ roll?
You Tube a Swedish band – The Refreshments. Or maybe you’re just not old enough.
Cheers
Alex
R.E.M. – Stand
https://youtu.be/AKKqLl_ZEEY
A wee word in remembrance of Brain Friel who died today. A Tyrone man who made Donegal his home.
If you ever get a chance to see a good production of “Translations” take it.
I think you will find most of us have been guilty of anti social behaviour on a train.
Songs on a train : guilty.
( and I am aware of the difference between social and anti social songs.)
Next it will be singing in pubs or on buses.
Hail hail.
https://youtu.be/5xsj66S6Xuw
Sydney Youngblood
blastfaethepastCSC
The Huddle
A great band, I see they gave Donald Trump pelters for using one of their songs recently…good!
Nat Know
“Believe it or not I attended an interview a couple of years ago and the woman interviewing me asked “Do you support Rangers? It would be really good if you did…”. She’s probably still extracting her job from where I suggested she put it… :-)”
To be fair, if you were applying for the job that Mark Warburton got, the question might have been valid :-)
Had the misfortune to watch Celtic play against a disinterested Turkish side last night and we nearly got away with it.
Dear oh Dear……..Gordon Strachan’s teams would have run up a cricket score against them.
How far have we fallen?
Efe Ambrose wouldn’t ‘t have even got to carry the laundry basket for the Hoops even as recently as 7 years ago.
The race to the bottom is on with players of that calibre.
Get ready…..Get Set…..Go…..
Natknow 10.57
Apologies, I reacted like a typical ML5 punter hiding behind his iPad, don’t like the grief Matk Wlisin gets he o my says in the press what guys Luke Hartsin & Surton have said, he was a right good Ayer for us and definitely one of the good guys
R.E.M. – Radio Free Europe
https://youtu.be/kI5P5VeewyE
ROY CROPPIE on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 10:58 PM
Hearts came out with a strong statement re the anti-social behaviour of their fans on a train last week, that’s to be commended. However it would make more of an impact if they decried the anti-Irish and anti-Catholic bigotry exhibited by their fans inside our stadium and around its environs.
More than a marker pen in a toilet.
HH
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The Hearts statement seemed quite corporate to me. Effectively they were trying to disassociate themselves from the behaviour of their hooligans by suggesting that these were a minority who people didn’t represent them. However as anyone who has been to their ground will know, those attitudes are pretty prevalent among their support. They might not all burn flags but there’s plenty of sectarian abuse from them. It’s a part of what they are.
Greenpinata
it seems they put fellow passengers in a state of fear and alarm…not just a sing song.
My point is they did far worse at the game but that seems to be allowed.
the_huddle
A suburb of Airdrie
RUDICANTFAIL on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 11:08 PM
Had the misfortune to watch Celtic play against a disinterested Turkish side last night and we nearly got away with it.
Dear oh Dear……..Gordon Strachan’s teams would have run up a cricket score against them.
How far have we fallen?
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We talking aboot Celtic or Liverpool ???
https://youtu.be/R8AOAap6_k4
Womack and Womack
Teardrops
wasstillapointCSC
Efe Ambrose reminds me of a less talented version of Marvin Andrews….
Never ever thought anyone could be a worse centre half than the Preacher Man….but oh my lord we’ve got him.
R.E.M. – The One I Love (Tour Film ’89)
https://youtu.be/uaqSSMs3mEM
RUDICANTFAIL on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 11:08 PM
Assume you watched it on TV
No misfortune from where I was sitting. Good game with some exceptional performances by Celtic players. Great company, atmosphere and debate before and after, all positive.
I think you stumbled onto the wrong site
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 2ND OCTOBER 2015 11:07 PM
Nat Know
“Believe it or not I attended an interview a couple of years ago and the woman interviewing me asked “Do you support Rangers? It would be really good if you did…”. She’s probably still extracting her job from where I suggested she put it… :-)”
To be fair, if you were applying for the job that Mark Warburton got, the question might have been valid :-)
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:-)))
I’m not even sure The Bread Man would have answered ‘yes’ to that question in the interview…!