Celtic got what they deserved yesterday. Alarm bells were ringing from the opening minutes when Newco Rangers created several chances. Their goal on 16 minutes was reward for their ability to get inside the Celtic box with remarkable ease.
So much about football is down to game intelligence, something which bypassed Dedryck Boyata in the move which led to the opening goal, as he clumsily barged into the back of an opponent who was running away from goal. After Dedryck went off injured for Erik Sviatchenko midway through the first half, Craig Gordon had little to do.
This fact illuminates the only positive aspect of Celtic’s performance – the defence. Sviatchenko and Charlie Mulgrew both played well, while Kieran Tierney would have collected the Man of the Match award, had his team-mates delivered near to his level.
Sviatchenko wasn’t in the starting line-up because he’d been out injured, but with extra time, he played (well) for 95 minutes. Leaving him out, presumably over concerns he would be unable to play 90 minutes, was a miscalculation.
From midfield forward we were individually and tactically second best. Scott Brown provided more evidence that he’s not regained top form after his injury lay-off. His touch and decision-making were both off. He had an opportunity to clear at the first goal but his contact wasn’t strong enough.
This is a real concern. Scott’s 31 in the summer, young enough to have several good years at this level, but my expectation is that we need to manage the remainder of his career carefully, in light of the cumulative effect of injuries. If this concern is valid, it will have a big impact on Celtic next season.
I did a fair amount of shouting at Nir Bitton during the first half. We were regularly overloaded 3-against-2 on the wing, while Nir remained in a central position, 5 yards away from being able to effectively press. If this was down to team orders they were complicit in a dreadful first half performance. If it was a personal reluctance to press, it was inexplicable. I could believe either scenario.
It was all too much for Gary Mackay-Steven and Patrick Roberts. Gary’s form has been underwhelming this season, but when I questioned his inclusion ahead of the game the point was made that he’s chipped in with a number of goals recently. Ronny Deila turned and walked to the dug-out to instruct Gary’s substitution after one inaccurate pass too many.
In the starting line-up, only Gary, Patrick Roberts and Leigh Griffiths had scored in our previous 7 league games. I suspect we were caught asking the wrong question here – who’s going to score the goals? Instead of asking how best to win the middle of the park. With Roberts, Mackay-Steven, Griffiths and Johansen occupying the advanced four positions we were lacking in kilograms – literally lightweight.
Contrast to when Gordon Strachan plucked Charlie Mulgrew from defensive cover to play left side of midfield at Ibrox; winning a game well against the odds.
Stefan Johansen was another unable to judge the weight or accuracy to apply to a pass, he was hooked injured after 84 minutes but could have gone earlier due to performance. His replacement, Tom Rogic, brought a considerable improvement to our use of the ball. Had we started with Rogic and Sviatchenko it would have been a different result.
The plan didn’t work for Leigh Griffiths. He was unable to hold play up, get in behind or craft a proper opening. He’s been our charm this season, but he’s no miracle worker.
More on the big picture stuff later in the week.
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COWIEBHOY on 18TH APRIL 2016 7:48 PM
Tiny Tim
John McGinn will probably never be a world star.
However, on Saturday, even in the last minute of extra time he was knocking his pan in tracking back.
Cowiebhoy, off course the current structure canny remain in place. A CEO canny be interfering in football matters. The strategy, which in truth fell into their lap, has run it’s course into the rocks but the ship is saveable.
Gms has talent.. not strong or brave enough
Christie is a very good young player… again needs strengthening
Armstrong not as skillful but his best position is in central midfield
Scott Allan also needs a bit of strength conditioning
Get the fekn porridge oats on the menu and get their asses in the gym with a wee bit of boxing training thrown in ;)
Out fought, out thought and out played. No sign of a game plan which Sevco clearly did have. Even during the game they were able to use the same ploy repeatedy to get down their left wing and there was no tactical response. They had a clear strategy to deal with Paddy yet there was no sign of a strategy to deal with their winger. Where was the promised pressing game and why did the players look so unfit, especially against a lower league outfit?
TBJ
Got to disagree with Allan, at 25, and a full season at Celtic, he has shown very little, the odd forward Hollywood pass, but more often than not loses the ball, and little work rate
In my view one of the wasted nonsense signings
TBJ
We need more of the size and physical presence of Wanyama and VVD.
We’ve done it before ,we can do it again.
TT
SA has never been given a chance under RD’s 2 holding midfield players and 1 up front ,give us a break.
I’m wondering what CKR would be like as a holding midfielder or central defender
Tiny Tim,
i read that post with the feeling of dread creeping over me the more i read, next season its very plausible that sevco will be in Europe longer than us, i emphasize plausible….
i am a share holder and season ticket holder, and after a few years of swithering whether to renew or not, i will be holding onto my cash until i see a similar commitment coming from the PLC, before i renew next season, its the only weapon we have.
To be in the position we are now in as a club is unfathomable, in fact to be where we are, you wonder if it was the plan all along!
And never mind all the other issues with the PLC board, there are too many to go into.
gebhoy
COWIEBHOY
Got to disagree with you disagreeing with TBJ :-) about young Allan , dont think he has had much of a chance to show us what he can do .
Gebhoy
How will Sevco be in Europe ?
They do not have 3 years audited accounts
Oh yes, FTSFA
FGF
We can agree to disagree with what I was disagreeing with TBJ :-)))
At 25 he is not young, and should be a first team regular by now, nowhere near it for me
Was decent in the 1st division, but struggles at SPFL level
Right just nipping oot to see what my wee Ghirl thought about yesterday
Hail Hail
TT,
I think one season by the supporters showing the board who really matters will do more good than damage to the club.
Oh and I don’t see sevco getting any more than one round in Europe even if they are allowed to participate and that’s a big big if.
COWIEBHOY
Agree with you about FTSFA :-))
Cowiebhoy,
Where there’s a handshake there’s a way.
FTSFA right enough.
gebhoy
Aw christ, I just remembered Nadir Ciftci will be coming back in the summer…
Evening Timland from a warm hun free mountain valley.
For the past four years we have gone backwards as a football side, when we should have been so far out of site, it makes you think that it’s been a deliberate ploy to tread water till their bastard incarnation is ready to step up.
If you want change, we have one weapon and that is cash, it’s the only thing or the lack of that our suits will respond to.
Joost gie Big Hunskelping McGhee
the keys tae the dug-oot
n stoap efffing aboot!
The Donald Ar La – CSC
Cowiebhoy and four green fields
I agree that it’s ok to disagree but I disagree with the 5 way agreement .
Tiny Tim
I want a holding midfielder the size of The Rock and a centre half the size of Dumbarton rock.
Back the morra….
Said earlier I’m INTRIGUED BY Paul67 delay in sharing his Big picture.
Is it because the big picture is about to change?
Is it in the hope that the utter frustration of the fans with Lawwell and co will somehow a bait? ( good luck with that one!)
Is it so that editorial approval/ agreement can be reached with CFC to ensure good relations going forward?
Is it because he too is in shock?
Has he had a Damascus moment when all has been revealed that he was previously blinded to?
Is it fear of defending a position that is so counter to the general consensus?
As I say it is all very INTRIGUING..?
INIQUITOUSIV-I will be at CP on Sunday mate. HH
TBJ
Very good :-))
ps . Your right about the 5 way agreement .
Cowiebhoy-as I said,I don’t think we will make a change now,we should have done it at end of EL games ,but if we did,Dave Hay,Tommy Boyd and Willie to get us over the line. Hope all good at your end HH
——-
Does Conquering The Michty P’Heid…
In The Petrofac Super-Cup…
Not Get Ye Directly Intae The Group Stage….
Of The Champions League…?
Besides….The EuroGiants Cannae Wait Tae Learn Aboot ‘New Total Football’….
At The Feet O’ The Great Warbo-Meister..
~~~~
…. Is it that Paul67 has been tapped up to replace Ronny?
… Is he about to do a Traynor and become Celtic Head of communication?
Maybe he’s just busy?
Bada
I agree that Tommy and Willie could still do a good job at centre halfs but think Davies legs have gone in the midfield;)
Lots of criticism of our board on here yesterday and today, rightly so. When the Green Brigade displayed a banner at Celtic Park after the Molde debacle criticising the board they were widely booed by fans at the match and condemned by many posters on here.
We are where we are because of the current board. If we want to change things we need to let the board know. At the moment, it seems to me that the GB are the only ones doing something about it. And they support the team positively at every home match too.
Cults
It could be this….
HH
http://celticunderground.net/pistol-pete-heading-west/
Loving Dernot Desmond.
I hope PR hasn’t been ruined by yesterday – he was psyched and definitely struggled against a very simple strategy of ‘ put two on him and kick him’. Also the team around didn’t have the ‘intelligence’ to help him out. Biton can go and shipe now after his miraculous hamstring recovery.
As a club we’ve a lot of soul searching to do – this isn’t about getting a good left back or changing scouting structure or a change in ticket prices against Hamilton, it’s about who we are, what are out goals, what is the relationship between decision makers and SB holders etc etc.
TET
Don’t be building my hopes up only to
Disappoint.
Frankly I don’t care where he goes as long as it away from our Scottish operation at Celtic Park.
——-
The Green Brigade..!!
Pah..!!
All ‘Big Hat’…
An’ NAE CATTLE..!!
Remind Me…How Much Have Their Juvenile ‘Pyros’ & Self-Indulgent Banners In Europe…
Cost Celtic FC In Purely MONETARY Terms…
Never Mind How Much They Have Damaged Our GLOBAL IMAGE…
And UEFA’s Sympathies Towards Our ‘Local Difficulties’……?
Bring-Back-BirchingCSC
~~~~
What’s really buggin me tonight is that whilst we were really poor yesterday and some of our players let us down we should have still won it. We missed 3 guilt edge chances and despite all their possession they couldn’t muster an effort on goal for 70 minutes during the game.
No consolation I know but they are far from being as good as the MSM are making them out to be.
David Moyes please! Under our current management team we would appear to make all our own bad luck. Time to move on, time to change.
Bitton tried to engineer a substitution yesterday.. Feigning injury … Heartless bassa
Should be hunted
One thing I have long felt is that we are too focussed on Hunco goings on. The whole laugh with their suicidal jelly and Ice cream demise.
Allowed those with an interest to divert attention away from our own shortcomings. There is an agenda to keep our attention away from Lawwell.
My fear is that res12 could have a similar effect. A sideshow that diverts our attention.
So let’s not bother about Hunco, SFA etc. Let’s really keep an eye on Lawwell’s empire building, shite players in, good players out, diminishing crowds, reducing income, floundering European and domestic performances, cheap coaches, increasing supporter alienation, surreptitious nurturing of Old Firm branding….etc
Let’s keep our eyes on our club …!
Peter Lawwell is a failed experiment.