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Fine performance marred by bigger failings than Efe

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

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.

Here for Steve Gunn’s.

Here for Thomas Eman’s.

Here for Robert Doherty’s.

Here for Stephen Hewitt’s.

Here for Kenny O’Neill’s.

Thank you.

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  4. petec on

    Gordon64,

     

     

    I’m ok Big Chap, you are, along with the Rutherglen Massive, some of God’s greatest Human Beings.

     

     

    Giants in more ways than one.

     

     

    Got to skidaddle, I will leave you with this classic.

     

     

    Waterfall

  9. gavinsbhoys on

    Thank u doc, that’s why I’m posting cause I do need help and I can’t ask for better(besides my wife and family)by posting on OUR site

  10. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    GAVINSBHOY

     

     

    We’re on social media,mate. This is the kinda place where you can share your pain,ask for-and expect-help when in need. In a way that us daft macho Scots find difficult to do in person.

     

     

    My daft wee best bud topped himself,oh I could tell you the date,just over 14 years ago. Never a hint.

     

     

    We were the oldest in a buncha dafties,and I tried to explain to lads in their teens and twenties that what they think are friends are merely acquaintances. Best bud is an exalted status,and rarely afforded.

     

     

    They didn’t get it then. They do now. But few of them have lost one.

     

     

    It’s a serious sair yin,mate. Go to 4 minutes in on this,I know it will make you cry. But it will make you laugh too.

     

     

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ovunw_vQl0

  12. butsybhoy on

    BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS

     

     

    Hi pal you spoke with TBM

     

    Trying to get him to come along next week …BUT.

     

     

    He is worse than mourhino.

     

     

    HH

  14. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    BUTSYBHOY

     

     

    Aye. He blames the line judge when his horse gets beat-by twenty lengths!

     

     

    I’ll call him tomorrow. High time he came out for beer.

     

     

    Canny blame him though. Think about it-our company or V’s company? A no-brainer that even he’s figured out!

  18. gavinsbhoys on

    Bobby!!! you won’t believe this but see the see the whole seemeee powwww arreeee na a fo.oooooooohhh was what made my da laugh the most, it made me laugh not cry

  20. butsybhoy on

    M

     

     

    He can bring V along she is a bigger Celt than most.

     

     

    I will call him the morra also will be in Hamilton not that far away.

     

     

    wouldn’t like to walk it thought.

  22. gavinsbhoys on

    BTW bhoys I’m from West now living in North Belfast and I attend mass every Sunday for all you huns reading lol

  25. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    GAVINSBHOY

     

     

    A laugh and a cry,they both work at a time like this.

     

     

    You look after yourself,mate. Think of yer pal always.

     

     

    Gotta go,tree duty soon enough.

     

     

    HH,and R I P yer pal.

  29. butsybhoy on

    Good night Timland

     

     

    sorry to hear about the sad things today

     

     

    You are in my thoughts and prayers.

     

     

    God bless you all

     

     

    HH

  30. Gordon64 on

    SeS my deepest sympathy. I loved my old man dearly and miss him every day. I found remembering the good times followed by a right good greet the best medicine. Take care. HH

  36. Gordon64 on

    Hail hail the Celts are here what the hell do we care now.For its a grand old team to play for and its a grand old team to see and if you know your history it’s enough to make your heart grow. Night folks. HH

  37. Jungle Jim Hot Smoked on

    Judging by the early morning drought on here, I can only imagine we have a lot of regular Aberdeen trolls!

     

    No guarantees of a Celtic win today. Teams , traditionally, struggle after a European game ( see Man City yesterday!) and Hamilton are no mugs. Even so, three points and a further narrowing of the gap would be nice. That was a fluke result for Aberdeen yesterday so I won`t be writing them off too early . Of course I believe we will win the League and, if we avoid key player injuries, I further believe that we will do so in some style and finally convert those who are not too keen on Ronny. I also believe that we will beat Molde Home and Away.

     

    `Away` is where I am going now. Golf to play.

     

    Cheerio,

     

    JJ

  38. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Saltires, very sad to read back and learn your father has passed away. Think of the good times and stay strong. He will always be with you, always.

     

     

    Hail Hail bruv

  40. jmccormick on

    Morning all, cloudy here…nae surprise. Good luck to, all the runners and fundraisers today in Glasgow.

     

    gym session, supermarket, cooking prep, Celts game, mair cooking and then lots of Sangria and mair football on telly….that’s the plan anyway..

     

    HH

  41. Rock Tree Bhoy on

    Just back from a 5 mile run and thought I’d log on here to brag about it…….lol……..not true of course, just about to head off into the kitchen and make myself a fry up, Sunday mornings, you cant beat em..

  42. Hamiltontim on

    Saltires

     

     

    Just catching up as I wasn’t on yesterday.

     

     

    My deepest sympathies on the loss of your dad. I lost mine 4 years ago this month and although I still miss him dreadfully, the memories are warm and fond. Our fathers are often the ones who gave us Celtic and today at Hamilton I’ll remember mine. I’m sure you will too in the future and it’ll make you smile inside and burst with pride.

     

     

    May your father rest in peace and I hope you and the family get the strength you need.

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