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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Jeez that’s a new one on me, so all those games we thought we won 2-1 we actually got beat because the opposition got the killer goal, well there you go eh
The second goal was not the killer goal, glad the points system doesn’t work like that, I’m dead sure we got a point and never actually got beat or is that just me, the whole world is coming to an end because one defender made a mistake, crucify him crucify him was the cry.
Saltires…sincere condolences my friend.
SIPSINI on 3RD OCTOBER 2015 10:42 PM
Marspapa, Lionsroar67 to name but two. Billy Bhoy sits behind me in 105.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Feeling very down tonight, usually the utube video of the fan from Barca does it for me. not tonight.
gordybhoy64 on 3rd October 2015 10:42 pm
yes sorry
HH
Gordybhoy…………England ranked second in the World surely not. Ireland are current six nations Champions.
HANKRAY on 3RD OCTOBER 2015 10:40 PM
And there is no reason why shouldn’t have one mate.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Ah I see Stefan has now lost the dressing room :o) Got to love the rumours mongers on here
SALTIRES EN SEVILLA
Sincerest condolences to you and family, i lost my dad 57 years ago when a wee boy but still i think of him and can see him with mum, RIP to all our loved ones.
Now as to thursday night i don’t blame Efe but i fault Ronny cause he picked him as a CH, Efe will never ever be one cause he canny heid a ball, simple as that, imho. He cannot time his jumps to deal dominate our box when under any kind of pressure, he does not have the timing to read a ball in the air and get up ,jump, to heid away , second goal lost was amateur league standard goal to lose, poor poor defending. The timing is something that’s in you,sadly Efe doesn’t have it nor ever will have , it’s a natural gift. The manager and coaches need to waken up and see that a CH must be dominant in the air and can organise and tackle, Efe fails on the first requirement and so is not a CH . Ronny i’m afraid is asking a player to do what he is not capable off and making him look a bad player. The first goal btw just proves my point no timing ,no power in the header back , asking a player to do what he is not capable off. We are losing too many goals from corners and set pieces , get it sorted now, please.
Lennybhoy…
I met marspapa after a game in Hampden, I happened to shout out ” how you doing billy” he was mortified;)
What’s in a name? It’s the person behind it that counts. HH
Hankray,
aye well like their football team,
their lofty ranking has got them nowhere
Lennybhoy
What was Canon Foley’s first name ?
PS… A top bloke marspapa is. Sharp as a tack.
GORDON64 on 3RD OCTOBER 2015 10:44 PM
Dena I know I’ve got yon Vogue Punter coming up to ma hoose to watch it. I’ve got the swear box at the ready. HH
Hope theres not too much to swear about……….
HH
Spiritof67,
Efe has scored quite a few goals with that head he can’t use, he also won everything in the air for the previous SPL games he helped keep clean sheets. So now he’s mistimed a back header he no longer ever could head the ball, it’s amazing how much skill you can loose from one mistake.
JIMTHETIM53 on 3RD OCTOBER 2015 10:45 PM
Feeling very down tonight, usually the utube video of the fan from Barca does it for me. not tonight.
Whats wrong?
HH
‘The rugby World Cup needs a strong Rangers’ – BBC Scotland Sunday morning sports bulletin
HH jamesgang
TONTIMETIM 2002
Wow,mate. That’s not a post,that’s a heritage.
Fred C
Canon Foley’s first name was Father Foley…. If that helps
There’s only one King Billy and that’s McNeil. Kip time… Nae fighting noo,.
BMCUW,
how many have you got going to your wee do next week
Is it just me or does Dick Advocat look like Mr Blobby ?
Spartak Moscow were the first side to identify the weakness in Efe’s game. Before that he was outstanding for us. Nothing came of it that night but the fly Juventus got the message.
We went for their throats from the start and we’re all over them. First chance they got they punted a long high ball over Efe’s head and got their reward.
The blunder was not unexpected. Celtic did the same in SEVILLE – we went with a goalie who was clearly unreliable picked by a manager who had access to a much bigger budget that RONNY. The side’s weakest link lost us a Final.
If other players had done their jobs v Malmo including the one we sold for £13m, Jason Denayer would have been playing for us midweek against Real Madrid.
FRED COLON on 3RD OCTOBER 2015 10:54 PM
Jim
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
BGX – 10:31 pm
“Lots of Happy posters tonight , Happy coz England got whacked at rugby……Beware…all is not as it seems…..The CQN loyalist Brigade will strike Back With Vengence….”
Did you not think Alex Salmond sounded a tad loyalist himself on Question Time on 17th Sept when he was berating Jeremy Corbyn (the left wing socialist rascal that he is) for NOT singing along to the UK national anthem, with the bold Alex proudly stating that he himself DID sing along when he was First Minister?
What with him and ‘Nicola’ wanting to keep the Royals, and the British pound too, with the Bank of Engerland continuing to set interest rates, well, it’s not exactly radical is it??
It’s Independence Jim but not as we know it, not as we know it…
Fred C / Lennybhoy
My mother never missed mass in her 80+ years on this planet, Father/Canon Foley sent a young priest to our house when my mum passed away in Marxh 2008, Canon/Father Foley didn’t seem to think that this parishes deserved his prescience by the way the young priest was called Father O’Brien and he buried my mum in the March and baptised wee Miss GFTB in the November, Canon/Father Folety missed a trick, young Father O’Brien made my mothers funeral and my daughters christening really special…… We now have a young Father Kane and that bhoy is a very good priest (not that I have ever met a bad one)
Gerrybhoy Catholic Quick News laughing out very loud
Fred C… Canon Foley was fluent int many languages including Arabic
Gerry, Fred C and LennyBhoy
Tread carefully. Priests? Mass? Catholic stuff? Rudicantfail will disapprove.
Condolences saltire.
I’m still gutted about Thursday.
Until we meet again…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Imagine Efe was our answer to Ian Black
5/1 Love
Whilst my glass is half full we were in winning positions against Ajax and Fenerbache and could have won both games. Scoring two goals against both those teams isnae shabby. Oops my glass is now half empty. Ach I’m away to fill it up again.
GFTB,
:-))
Hoping for a good win tomorrow to put the heat to the sheep.
Night all.
Lubo of the lamp…a shouldae…But a cannae help ma sell….A vote for Independence wisnae a vote for SNP…noo thats the last time am tellin yea This…Next time yi dont remember it….Nae mer Xbox fir you…Consider yir sell Told..
Gerrybhoy….
Glad you read the post I am definitely stealing your Catholic Quick News just to annoy that other mob, TOSB don’t worry about the posters who don’t like Celtic, as another well known poster always says KTF
A former pupil of your good self who lurks on here (JT) mentioned you when I used to work beside him, always in a good way !
Fellow Celtic fans I have a “doggers” card to get marked at 10am mass so I will bid you farewell and the blog has been Magic the last few nights, keep everything Celtic, Saltires you look after the rest of your family and God bless
The rest of Cqn, good night and God bless
CANALMAR
Replied to your post but seems to have got lost but will try again, scoring headers in a six yard box are entirely different from defensive headers facing a CF and get up and outjump in your own box where the ability to power away the ball under pressure is essential. If you mistime when attacking then it’s a missed chance but in your own box defending it can be a goal lost, Efe should never be in the centre of defence nor should he ever be the last man , he is prone to errors , a fact of life . Not good enough to be our rock CH and not consistent enough to be our last man ,simple as that, just the way i see it. Nothing against Efe just think he is being asked to do what he cannot do consistently, where to play him , no idea.
Luv Palace playing ‘Glad all over’.
THG at it again. Dearie me.