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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of = off
Bobby Russell. You would have to ask Ronny as many on CQN said he had lost the dressing room and at no time did we lose 1-5 at home.So only fair to ask about McInnes. H.H. :- )
saltires
THoughts and prayers
Southampton now 3-1 up against Chelsea
Virgil looking the business, so far
Hope Marinio gets the sackk
Eva will be laughing her wee head off
HH
THE HUDDLE. Virgil is a class act and will only get better. H.H.
I do enjoy life when Chelsea are being beaten
LOve
Saltires En Seville:
My thoughts and Prayers with you and your Family, may God Bless your Dad’s Soul.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
setting free the bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox
I had a gut feeling you would be first to respond, sadly you too did not mention the Russians.
Hate the US all you want, just don’t come here.
I can’t bear to think of you writhing in agony as you step onto this hallowed ground.
God Bless America, we the people……..
Saltires.
Condolences to you and your loved ones on your sad loss.
Hopefully thinking of the good times, which shine through in your post, will help you at this difficult time.
Hail Hail
Canamalar
OK that’s you and SFTB that won’t be setting foot in America.
Thank you Lord
God Bless America……..
Satires En Sevilla
Having been in your position twice in recent time (father and father-in-law) I can sympathise with you. You will be typing through tears of sorrow and tears of pride in equal measure. The well wishes from those on CQN are of great comfort I found. I hope they are to you.
May your father rest in peace and his friends and family take solace from the times shared with him and those special memories that each will have.
HH.
Saltines
Thoughts and Prayers for your family at this sad time
And may your Dad Rest in Peace, and let perpetual light shine upon him
Some memories he left though, may that give you strength through the coming months
WEEMAN67. I think we should be most concerned about the poor families in Syria who are taking a hammering from all sides there country and there lives are being torn apart it is a human tragedy. Also the Christians who are being murdered because of there faith. While politicians of all sides posture and blame the other side , H.H.
Just a point on the Sheepies losing
Even a Win for Celtic tomorrow, we will still be 1pt behind them
No Complacency Celtic, get the job done, so play strongest team please.
I have no interest in international football, so couldn’t care about any international team losing any Celtic player through having to play one of our players tomorrow
No C’mon the Ausies for our antipodean Celts :-)
Hail Hail
CQN you have me in tears with your thoughts for Saltires.
Classy crowd in tonight.
Saltires en Seville
Such sad news.
Like Tallybhoy and so many others here we know what you are going through.
Not a religious man yet i still like to think he is up there looking down on us.
Had the day off work yesterday and had a list of jobs do do for my mum……1st 1 was cutting the hedge and half way through it i managed to cut right through the power cable.
Just knew he was up there smiling and shaking his heid…..yours will be too.
Thoughts are with you right now.
YNWA
Weeman67,
There’s nly one possible reason I’d think about going to the USA and that would be the Celtic convention and you have now made that more likely, you represent the brainless Americans who do nothing to enhance the attraction. But out of spite just to get on your tits I might make the effort.
Now remind us all, who did the USA blame for 9/11 ?
Saltires. May your Dad rest in peace and may perpetual light shine upon him.
Turns out the Doctor was the tactical genius at Chelsea.
Stroll for Virgil…
vivaEvaCSC
VVD played like a champion center back in 3-1 win at Chelski blues bros :-))))))
Weeman67, with all due respect, if you don’t watch reports from various news outlets and not just from the one you see from your own country(it’s all propaganda, if not) then you’ll never get the whole picture. It’s like saying your doctor is always right, their not and neither are the bbc, can, fox, add in your own countries news broadcasters.
Chelsea beat 3-1 at home.
Barca beaten 2-1 in Seville.
Roy@4.34
Is there no end to your talents big Mhan.
Keep the faith ya legend.
Gearoid1998
Thanks pal, appreciate that.
HH
Saltires
May eternal light shine upon your fathers soul.
HH
Saltires
A lovely tribute.
May your dear Father rest in peace.
Prayers for you Fhriend.
HH jamesgang
Saltires en Seville
Condolences. Remember the good times o am sure there were plenty.
Jeez – Mourhino has just blamed the ref for their defeat
Moaninho
Blaming the officials.
Classless
Southampton should have had 2 penalties in first half so he can’t blame the ref
Clown
Jose – everybody’s fault except his, he’s still the greatest manager in the world, well must be true as he’s spent the last 5 minutes telling us…
Wasn’t 5 minutes, it was 7 minutes….
JUDE2005 IS NEIL LENNON \O/ on 3RD OCTOBER 2015 5:24 PM
Who did Jony Little play for?
………………….
Robin Hood’s Merry Men.
THUNDER ROAD
I reckon yer oul’ fella would be looking down and saying to himself-‘cut the cord,that’s where it all started. Learnt eff all since,bless him!’
Stick to your strengths,mate. My Mum had me sawing back a tree today. The branches were like trees on their own. I was bushed after it(!)
Saltires
So sorry to hear about your Da. Stay strong and remember all the good times,its tge only thing that gets us through such sad times.
Hope he meets my wee uncle Mick up in that other paradise, another great tim that I miss every day.
Mourinho oot!
Classless bawbag!
Gaun’ yersel Eva!
HH!!
GerryBhoy on 3rd October 2015 7:25 pm VVD played like a champion center back in 3-1 win at Chelski blues bros :-)))))) –
*even after getting thrown to the ground in the box, must have thought he was back up the road.