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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Have to agree with Sutton about ambrose. A truly awefull defender who should have been kicked out of Celtic park years ago
But due to our woefully recruitment policy and awefull youth system. It was ambrose or the rubber plant in the foyer
As far as blacket is concerned. No. No no no
The rubber plant is indeed a better option
A pretty perfect morning for all those running today’s Great Scottish Run (TV coverage on BBC2 from 11.00). Good luck to our own Paul67 doing his first half marathons. Aaah, half marathons (and, indeed Marathons) those were the days……..
He’ll need to be quick mind if he doesn’t want to miss kick off ;-)
International Bar in Tollcross Edinburgh is a celticish bar
And the dreaded curse of the CQN poster strikes again!
Just a matter of hours after the hard, brave, strong, and above all honest players of Rugby Union are compared favourably by a poster to their diving, cheating, dishonest footballing equivalents, enter Scotland full-back, Stuart Hogg, David Cameron’s favourite Ruggerman, going down as if he’s counting his broken ribs as a South African forward pulls out of an attempted block at a clearing kick, and lightly brushes Stuart with his arm in the chest.
Welsh ref didnae miss him!
PS. I realise there were more serious issues in the post to which I refer, but I hope the poster got a much-needed smile if he was watching.
KevJ
Looks like the old fire in the belly is growing stronger , keep it coming.
1-4 for the Hoops today.
HH
Kev J 9.23
You probably weren’t trying to be funny but that post made me laugh out loud. On a more serious note obviously over the years certain guys have met up and virtual friends became real friends and that friendship shines through from time to time on the blog. Some may see it as cliquey but what are these ghuys supposed to do ?, pretend they don’t know each other.
If you look for issues anywhere you will find them, I prefer to concentrate on the positives, for me without the Blog I would be a one man CSC, there is only one friend of mine who I would class as a real Celtic Supporter and he doesn’t want to talk about Celtic all the time.
Today without the blog it would be just turn on the Telly watch the game turn it off and be sad, happy, angry or whatever on my own, through the blog you can talk, debate, argue, commiserate or celebrate with hundreds of fellow fans all over the world, CQN is great Celtic resource that is why I get really pissed off with those who abuse it.
Corky,
What you call abuse others will call opinion, and we know like rectal orifices everyone has them except those who don’t have them but even they have opinions sometimes :)
Sheep feeling the pressure, so make sure we’re closing the valve today, Bhoys, not relieving some for them as we did last week. A point behind after so many European and international games, with the great start they made, wouldn’t be too bad at the start of October on the way, hopefully, to 5-i-a-row.
‘Mon The Mighty Hoops!
Beatbhoy,
As a side issue to your post. Rugby Union tops the list of drug test failures in the UK.
Rugby League comes in third.
Sometimes the myth of a ” gentlemen’s” game and that it’s “whiter than white “get in the way of reality.
HH.COYBIG.
In these troubled times, let’s all spare a moment to think of poor Jose’s troubles…
Indeed . Now I know that is a childish statement but I honestly believe that he brings it on himself. I still get angry about Seville but that was what he considered whAt he had to do to beat us, almost forgivable. However his cowardly attack on Tito Villanova and his personal attack on the St Johns Ambulance staff at the Reading game were beyond the pale.
Rant over, time to get busy in the kitchen then watch the Hoops.
Greenpinata
Didn’t know that, but, if it’s extra-strong pain-killers they’re using, I don’t blame them! Some of the legal ‘hits’ in the game are brutal! Especially when replayed in slow motion! Ouch!
Right off to Hamilton.
Remember, supporting your team is not a crime.
C’mon the Celtic.
Sipsini
Doing well mate, looking forward to todays match
Watching the rugby my overwhelming feeling is one of nostalgia for the days when it was an amateur sport.
Money and commercialism have almost totally destroyed anything that was worthwhile about it.
HT
Nephews know the score
HAMILTONTIM on 4TH OCTOBER 2015 11:05 AM
Right off to Hamilton.
Remember, supporting your team is not a crime.
C’mon the Celtic.
———
Careful now, the SNP will have you in irons for that type of seditious chatter !
More relevantly, our options at centre half are looking very thin for today. Is there anyone in the dev squad ready to step up?
ST so a rubber plant would be a better option!! I’m only amazed you did’nt mention Peter Lawwell purchased it. Is that really the best to can come up with? Let’s have your vision for our future, some may agree/disagree with you but surely better than that pathetic remark. Enjoy the game. H H Hebcelt
ERNIE LYNCH on 4TH OCTOBER 2015 11:12 AM
Watching the rugby my overwhelming feeling is one of nostalgia for the days when it was an amateur sport.
Money and commercialism have almost totally destroyed anything that was worthwhile about it.
——–
You mean the violence is more efficient these days? Professional violence as opposed to the hearty old amateur sort……..
Just posted a wee dig aimed at crisis club Aberdeen.
Enjoyed this from the MSM…
This headline is in the Sunday People:
SUPER SAINTS IN DEMOLISION JOB
Who said standards in newspapers were slipping?
Any team news yet??
Rugby Union especially that in England is anything but clean. The false blood incident a few years back is a prime example as well as the clubs dictating to the rfu about finance and players the clubs would release for international games. Big football day today with our match the first and most important, then the Merseyside derby, dortmund v Fc Hollywood and the Madrid derby. Celtic get the job done today
Hebcelt. Vision for the future
1. Get rid of lawell he has no plans for the football team His wage caps are crippling our chances of success
2. Every penny brought in goes to the manager for replacements
3. Avoid the English market go Eastern European
4. Play youths instead of awefull ambrose type players Why oh why do we pay wages of a player like blacket. Surly we have better youths
5, balance our team with a couple of experienced high wage earners and offset that by playing low wage youths, this will help them by playing with experience But can’t happen unless point 1 happens
6. New CEO wage is balanced by club income and advancement of the team , CL qualifying is no 1 bonus weighting
Have to disagree about the rugby.
20/30 years ago, it was a brutal sport and often played at the top level by near psychopaths.
Now with the citing and multiple cameras, you can’t get away with any cheap shots.
Added to that, the level of skill as shown by the Aussies last night, is miles ahead of what it used to be.
BTW, did anybody think Farell was going to do a GAzza and burst into tears when he got yellow carded ?
Morning all.
Very much looking forward to the game today, as always, but even more so after yesterday’s result at the sheepdome.
BMCUW
If yer about will mail you later.
HH!!
Ps hebcelt. Enjoy game also. Trying to get wee sydney tim off to her bed so I can ipad the game in bein sports
ST that’s more like it something to debate agree/disagree. No more rubber plant comments makes you look petty. Thanks for the prompt response. H H Hebcelt
ST wee sydney timette surely!!!
Team to play Hamilton today – ko 12:30 BT Sport 1
Celtic Football Club @celticfc 13s13 seconds ago
CELTIC v @acciesfc : Gordon; Janko, Boyata, Blackett, Izaguirre; Brown, Bitton; Commons, Rogic, Forrest; Griffiths
CELTIC v @acciesfc : Gordon; Janko, Boyata, Blackett, Izaguirre; Brown, Bitton; Commons, Rogic, Forrest; Griffiths (MD)
Celtic subs: Bailly, Ciftci, Armstrong, Mackay-Steven, Lustig, McGregor, Tierney.
Corkcelt 10.28
Cqn is my virtual Celtic boozer, don’t always agree with some posts (even my own) but still think it’s the best Celtic blog in the go, anyway enjoy the game fellow Celtic fans am away to jinx Kris Commons hat trick so wee Leigh can relax as I have left him alone today my other prediction is Broony man of the match
Celtic subs: Bailly, Ciftci, Armstrong, Mackay-Steven, Lustig, McGregor, Tierney. #COYBIG (MD)
Was just about to type:
Who will we pair at CB?
We’ve had Ambrose/Mulgrew, Ambrose/Blacket, Boyata/Ambrose, and Boyata/Mulgrew so far. Boyata/Blackett today?
Looks like Ronny spotted this glaring omission too.
UP_OVER_GOAL
The centre back pairing pick themselves today. Last 2 standing.
Celtic without kris commons is like a BBQ without meat
He is our only lineman. Our only footballing brain
Blackett was truely the worst left back I have seen since brian Whittaker Let’s see if he is a better Center half
A little bit disappointed that Efe is nowhere to be seen.
Celtic to win with a bit to spare.
SYDNEYTIM
Give Brian Whitaker his dues,he was a hunskelper.
Well,he absolutely demolished Sandy Clark. I winced before I congratulated him.
ST
Blacket was far better at Centre back against Raith Rovers.
Today’s line up is strong enough to beat in form Accies.