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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Canamalar, I like the cut of your jib, regarding Syria.
Wooooohoooo!!
What a try!!!
Scotland great breakaway try
Seven points now.
Scotland making another storming start to the 2nd half.
Opened my gub too soon…..10 again…..drop goal from SA
Winning Captains-
That phrase I mentioned above is right out of the daily retard’s best efforts at sticking the boot into the Club and supporters.
Balanced critique married to measured language is a requirement from those in stewardship of our public and social media presence.
Apologies for the lecture, but after the media’s fanfare of glee regarding this incident, I feel the lad needs to feel our arm going around him, not Tims contributing to furthering a mindset of similar expectation in the future.
Laidlaw now in the bin for 10….think we may regret making them angry!
Re Johnny Little
Taught me me in St Columba’s in Greenock
Ran the cricket team which I was in (I know) – gentleman
Weeman- of all the places I have visited in the world America is the one I would not want to go back to – so do t assume that all of us urchins are lining up to come to the good ole usa
Ah stop. Thunder Road, Scots doing OK against a very strong team.
WINNING CAPTAINS
Poor comparisons,mate. Neither got the pelters Efe did.
I said last night that I doubted I was alone in wishing it had been anyone but Efe who screwed up for the first goal. Seems there were some who were quite happy with it.
Oooooooo nearly another try.
Penalty though…..
I see the sheepies got sheared, good it will give the
bedwetters on here a dry night.
Back to 7!!!
Back to 10
BMCUWP
The support inside the ground didn’t get on Efe’s back after his blunder. Was it not a blunder? The bus I was on was supportive – the community signing on the Tommy Gemmell bus was interrupted only to sign Efe’s praise.
Craig Gordon’s mistakes (blunders) helped to cost is the tie at the knockout stage. VVD’s second yellow sealed our fate when Milan was there for the taking.
CQN Magazine last weekend was referring to Aberdeen as ‘crisis club’ – it will never catch on.
Folks just a wee change of subject. Please indulge me.
We lost a lifelong Celtic Bhoy during the week.
My dad born in 1939 watched the Hoops win the Double in 54 and his favourite player Charlie Tully helped Celts to 7-1 in 1957. There was not much joy until 1965 when Jock continued his early missionary work and led us to the highest heights.
He attended the first European tie at Celtic Park v Valencia in 1962 a few moths after I was born and his last with my son at the Naka Man United game.
He took me to my first Celtic game in 1967/68 v Hertz and we attended together regularly.
For some reason I remember the Dynamo KieV game as he handed sweeties out to my pals. I never heard him swear in his entire life but he came very close when Tommy Burns whom he loved to watch get hacked down
The Requiem Mass is 10:00 am on Thursday, for everyone that knows our family.
You will be loved forever dad. You will never walk alone.
HH x
WINNING CAPTAINS
I think you just backed me up there. Neither VVD nor CG got it in the neck the same way Efe did.
IIRC,the theory was that it was only down to CG that we were there in the first place. VVD was unfortunate with both decisions,though stupid to give the ref the option.
Efe,well. He’s bloody useless and we’ll just hang him out to dry.
In print.
Not for me. A ffs out of exasperation as it happens,that’s it. No need to do the MSM job for them.
• roy croppie on 3rd October 2015 5:49 pm
Peter Houston giving it to the ref with both barrels about the official’s performance at Ibrokes…
*unfortunately it matters not, ogilvie is gone and it still continues, his replacement must be a Trappist Monk as he seems tae have taken a vow of silence. Either that or it’s a goatshagger thing.
Saltires
Sad news mate
I’ll light a candle in st Joseph’s tomorrow morning for him and your family
Mon the Daniel
Saltires….,
Heartfelt condonances with you, your family and all the friends and loved ones of your father.
Hail Hail
Saltires,
May your father rest in peace.
Saltires, my hearfelt sympathy and condolences on the loss of your dad.
I’m hoping to be at his requiem mass on thursday . If I can’t get to it, I’ll be there for his body going into the church.
My dad will be upset another member of his Johnstone relatives has been taken.
May Tom’s soul rest in peace .
saltires en sevilla
I’ll light a candle at Mass in the morning for your dad.
Take care and God bless .
SALTIRESINSEVILLA
My Dad was born in 1939. And his favourite player is CPT. His Celtic career seems to have mirrored that of your own,though my first game was v Aberdeen that season.
I’m sitting across the room from my Dad right now,talking our usual rubbish and annoying my Mum. I’m so so sorry you won’t be able to do that again. But I hope that comment puts a smile on your face as you recall doing the same.
My Dad has been known to swear on occasion,though. Mea Culpa usually.
Your Dad did well with you,mate. A lovely tribute.
R I P
Beautiful post Saltires, Sincere condolences on your loss, God Bless your Dad, Ar dheis De go raibh a anam. May his Soul be at the right hand of God.
May your dad rest in peace, Saltires
Saltires
Sad news. Stay strong
Saltires………condolences to you and yours. May he R.I.P.
Hail hail
Condolences saltires
Saltires
take care buddy over the next few days and God Bless your dad, he sounds like a real gentleman.
YNWA
Prayers for you and your family saltires
Has Derek Mc Innes lost the Aberdeen dressing room ? H.H.
Saltires
Deepest condolences to you and yours.
Know what you are going through.
Stay strong and remember the good times.
YNWA.
How can you lose a dressing room? Unless maybe it`s a portable one and it gets nicked.
SFTB: That must be some team that plays oot o Govan these days! Tap of the league and playing with only 9 men! Thought at your age you must have done Latin at school!! Must have been too busy learning Latin to learn to count even in Latin:) :)
saltires en sevilla
Condolences on the loss of your Dad.
Best wishes to you and yours.
Joe Filippis Haircut on 3rd October 2015 6:51 pm
Has Derek Mc Innes lost the Aberdeen dressing room ? H.H.
The wheels appear to have fell of his wagon :-)))