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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Spartim…,
Tell that to Mowbery
Spartim
I really don’t care who the guy is. Things have been so bad, I’m happy to get someone who can set the team out right, has a good grasp of tactics and can man manage.
Lots of shouts for big names, but Hughes, has a wealth of experience: failures, success, can certainly lead, he has built football teams and other styles, such as ICT, just now.
Whether he could replicate that at Glasgow Celtic ? He, after one good season, failed at Hibernian. He probably has as much to offer as mosy other names voiced.
DD
As I’ve said I’m happy to be proved wrong, but what do you think the first thing they’d ask him up here, does he have the character to put an end to the SMSM shoite
Who is the Speeeeerrrs that Carragher is talking about? :)
Speaking out…..
The Celtic board are coming under fire for “saying nothing” on the issues that are consuming the fans on social media . Looking at it , issue by issue, is it fair to criticise.
The Manager.
There appears to be an overwhelming view that the manager should be replaced , either now or at the end of the season.
If he is replaced now, then there is no need for board comment , merely action. If he is to be replaced at the end of the season then what benefit is there in announcing that now. You remove any authority he has with the players. He becomes an irrelevancy with the media and the fans . When a manager announces he will be leaving at the end of the season, it rarely provides motivation or benefit.
When the employer announces it and leaves the manager in place , it is almost always a disaster. Look no further than across the City. Brentford announced on the 17th February 2015 that Warburton would be leaving at the end of the season. From that point on they only won 7 / 16 games , missed out on automatic promotion and lost out in the playoffs.
Res 12.
My understanding is that the SFA followed their own procedures for awarding the license. Uefa however may, and we don’t know for sure, have been lied to by Rangers when they checked to see whether circumstances had changed.
Circumstances had changed, however UEFA had discretion to ignore that. Rangers though, and given Craig Whyte was in charge it’s highly possible, may have lied to Uefa about the status of the “wee tax case”
Given we don’t know whether Uefa ignored the change in status or were lied to by Rangers, the absolute most Celtic could do is ask the SFA to ask Uefa for an answer to that. I believe that has happened .
Now should Celtic make a statement to the effect that they have asked the SFA to ask Uefa ?
Well certainly not publicly prior to the semi final. That would have just heightened tensions even more. In my view it would have been irresponsible to do so prior to Sundays game.
To do so now, this week to be precise,would be portrayed by the media as trying to deflect attention away from the defeat. Best in my view to say nothing publicly for at least a few weeks. Hopefully after the League is won it might be possible to put out something, but anyone hoping or expecting Celtic to accuse anyone will be disappointed. Nothing is proven and answers are still required before its possible to make any definitive statement on the club being improperly deprived of anything on this issue
LNS Enquiry
The majority of fans i speak to find this the most serious issue outwith playing matters. The club commented on the verdict in the statement below .
“We note yesterday’s decision that Rangers FC has been found guilty of contravening the SPL rules on disclosure of payments over 11 years between 2000-2011.
The scale of this amounts to a deliberate non-disclosure of £47 million in payments to players and staff. We also note the penalty of £250,000 which has been imposed”
That’s corporate speak ( which is necessary as we are a plc) for ” Are you F***ing kidding”
The club further commented
“Like many within Scottish football, including supporters and other observers, we are surprised by the parallel conclusion that no competitive advantage was gained from these arrangements.
However, the implications of this verdict are for the Scottish football authorities to address, since the rules breached were specifically intended to defend ‘sporting integrity”
That’s Corporate speak for ” No way is this decision correct or fair . We expect the SPL to appeal this”
The statement further commented
“Throughout this matter, Celtic has refrained from comment on the affairs of Rangers FC while the various tribunals and commissions went about their work.
We will continue to concentrate on our own affairs, and assure our supporters that at all times we will operate within both the rules of our governing bodies and the law of the land.”
That’s corporate speak for Rangers cheated. Celtic never have and never will.
To those not used to corporate speak, and sadly i’m very used to it, the statements may have seemed light. To those who understand the limitations that plc status incurs and the behaviour required , then the statements were very robust.
I hope and believe that if the Supreme Court reaffirms that Rangers abused the EBT process resulting in deliberately avoiding ( evading in my view) tax , then the club will speak out again.
I recognise there is a case already that LNS was flawed . He was guided towards his ludicrous ” No sporting advantage ” decision , by the DOS case being ignored , and by the SPL legal team . Due to their incredible acceptance of both the SFA Bryson interpretation and the notion that even if the FTT was overturned, which it has been, they wouldn’t seek to use that in future . That should forever lay at Neil Doncaster’s door.
However my view is the Supreme Court confirming the COS verdict means the legal position is final, allowing a strong demand for LNS to be set aside. Thats the time for the club to speak
If ….and it’s a BIG IF … the board have a new manager lined up then get rid of ronny right now
Given the many abject performances this season I think it’s less of a gamble to bring the New manager in now than risk ronny blowing the league
Tell you what though… we will see what our current players are made of on Sunday.. are they really gutted about losing to sevco and out to prove themselves
I am not advocating Malky McKay for the job, however for the ‘holy Joes’ on here to condemn the guy for life, they should be ashamed.
Yes he made a mistake and I disapprove what he reportedly said – however to brand him a racist forever more, is wrong – I am sure he regrets it – he has said sorry.
Everyone deserves a second chance – yes we can hate what he said, but not him – what good does hating ever do?
Were Malky Mackay to bring Euro achievements and trophies to Paradise, he would be accepted without a problem. Football supporters quickly forget so called ethics.
Remember the rubbish about Griffiths? Now he is adored by us all.
Spartim
He is a strong willed, broad shouldered man. Think he would deal wi the SMSM fine.
Canamalar,
I did say usually. What I really meant was come the new appointment a fair share will be optimistic. In my view the most important person at the club should be the manager and the new guy needs some clout.
BCW I think we all want that, regardless of who he is
Ditch any player who undermined Ronny. Shame on those chumps and booze hounds.
A noble appointment but the club strategy affected him. He even had to play a CL game at Murrayfield so that we could get some money.
Mr Pastry, really enjoy your contributions to the blog. The personal abuse you get is unwarranted.
Ronny’s head on a platter is a smokescreen Imo
Folk are finally waking up to Lawwell’s role in this.
The happy clapping fraternity have ran out of opportunities to say .. What if we win …
We are now seriously HOPING we can fall over the line for the league title.
For what it’s worth I think AFC will do us a favour by losing at least one game in the run in.
We are ill prepared for Europe, we have a surplus of keech players we will struggle to give away, and season books will be a hard pitch.
A 4 year free run squandered.
There is no way that the board have another coach lined up, they are a waste of space, they have presided over the massive downsizing these past four years, as I said earlier, you would think it’s been deliberate.
If its true and broke in the Norwegian media, its probable, Deila has provided the story to get out sooner rather than later.
The head of Ronny Deila is nothing like enough in response to the disaster of past 2 years. The god awful “strategy” is the problem here. This manager is just especially bad at executing a bankrupt, garbage “strategy”.
just a hunch … but if I were a betting man (and my woeful performance in the most recent LMS shows that I am not) … I would be betting on Gary Caldwell to be the next Celtic manager. I’m not saying he would be my first choice (I would have to give that some more thought), but he is who I think it may be…
TeT
My number one replacement for Ronny is the manager of my wee second team. Toral would transform us.
How would I go about getting Villarreal end tickets for Anfield?
Big Cup Winners
I think you are spot on, also the reasons given, senior players dissent, Scottish press etc.
SID
Nope
I “admitted” what I said only and it is no different today than it was yesterday.
I recollect that my only disagreement with you was about publishing specific gossip/tales from Lennoxtown. The fact that they rang true, given Kris’s outburst was on TV, was neither here nor there.
Any “inside” story anyone hears, they hear it only from the insider who revealed their slant on it to them. It is a version of the truth, perhaps accurately told, but still only a partial snapshot of the true extent of relationships. Any storyteller or gossiper will always slant their story to reflect on better on the participants they favour in the story.
I once witnessed Jock Stein behave very badly with some fans after a match. I would not dream of giving the story any wide circulation either then or now because it was fluff, the stuff that could only cause trouble and not be helpful.
How does it help to have reports on training ground tiffs, a ten a penny occurence, given widespread circulation in these days of instant social media? It doesn’t help Celtic and it does not help the fans. Why would Celtic want to allow fans to mix with the players at Lennoxtown or Barrowfield if it only led to stories being leaked to media about who was fighting with who and who bad mouthed the other one?
The argument, as I recall was not about managerial capability but about training ground gossip.
As it happens, and its worth very little in the scheme of things, I still rate Ronny Deila as a man and coach. I wish he had been more defensively minded to cover the deficiencies of his defenders but, ho hum, that point has passed now.
Ronny is going now. He was going before the Rangers result. Despite all the names he has been called on here and elsewhere, he is the type of man and character I respect and he remains that. I just wish he had his own people at his side.
Barcabhoy,
The SFA had to follow the CFCB’s rules not their own and those rules required the SFA to check and report on all material submitted.
Now after the CFCB refused licenses to 23 other clubs that season for having outstanding social tax bills, do you honestly think they were going to allow one club in Europe to ignore those rules ?
Really ?
Barcabhoy
Two of this seasons CL finalists already know that current incumbents won’t be in charge next season.
I was in a minority who called out Deila as a dud last season & would dump Deila. We have already lost key games to other too 6 clubs, and losing another 3 isn’t beyond Deila’s managerial incompetence.
If he is to remain till season ends, an early announcement will unite fans and get us across the line.
One other, and probably time for the tin hat…
I suspect Bankier will go at the fiscal year end, and the idea of a new Manager , Chairman, FD and also CE all learning the job simultaneously isn’t a good one.
Whilst I recognise PL hasn’t cobpvered himself in glory with the appointment of Deila, I would prefer he rode the storm on this one for another season or two.
Tin hat time
DD
Aye, but my first choice handed Toral his arse on a plate yesterday :-)
Sadly our suits won’t think that far outside the box.
I have no idea, but I reckon you will get tickets at the game no bother.
HH
Haven’t seen a single name on here all day I’d have as manager.
Well, other than Simeone of course.
If and when Ronny goes 1 name I haven’t seen linked but is worth a shout…
Paul Hartley?
Glasstwothirdsfull
okay … to keep you happy…. I am willing to take the job. Now, there are two people who I am sure you’d be happy to have as manager. simple. :)
CLASHCITYBHOY on 18TH APRIL 2016 10:27 PM
Get a new CEO and keep PL as chairman?
He’s now in with t bricks at Hampden and influential in Europe. Let him carry on in the politics side of football and get a you no fresh CEO who deals with the day to day business and keeps away from the football department.
Bankier gets a lot of abuse on here. Think it is a fringe CQN issue just like the living wage. These type of issues don’t resonate with the average non politically motivated supporter.
A winning team is all that matters.
Cheers mate. I will email both Villarreal and Liverpool.
—–
So WHO Exactly IS ‘Peter Lawwell’….?
What Is His C.V. ?
What Is His Family Background & Origins….
Which Planet Was He Born On…
And WHAT [StarDate]…?
How Many Species & Life-Forms Can He Converse With….?
Does He Sleep…?
Does He Cast A Shadow..?
Can Anyone Confirm That He Ever Takes A ‘Leak’…?
Does Your Mind ‘Go Blank’ When He Shakes Your Haund…?
Has He Had ‘Plastic Surgery’ Tae Take Away The Pointy Bits Oan The Tap O’ His Ears…?
Does He Hiv Two Nipples + One Belly-Button ? (CLINCHER !)
What Color Does He Go When He Takes A Tan..?
—-
You’re Thinking This Is All IDLE Speculation…
But Research Intae His Family Origins Draws A Near BLANK !
[ Most Unusual….! Ed ]
There Are Fewer Lawwells Tae Be Found Worldwide….
Than There Are ‘Virgins’ In Port Onion..!
[FACT]
http://forebears.io/surnames/lawwell
*There Are A Total Of 118 Lawwells Worldwide….
* USA (108)
* England (1)
* Jamaica (1)
* Norn Ireland (1)
Did (He?) Inadvertently Drop A ‘Hint’ About His Planetary Origin….
During A Press Conference When He Referred To Receiving A Large Bid For A Celtic Player….
From ANOTHER GALAXY,In ANOTHER CONSTELLATION….
(While He Wiz Winking All O’er The Place..)
HOW Could He Even KNOW This Information…?
Ah Smell Venusian Gorgonzola..!!
Is He ‘Mork AND Mindy’…..
Or Yon Goofy Professor In “3rd Rock Fae The Sun”….?
Ah’ll Tell You THIS..
Ah’ll Tell You THIS.. For Nuthin’…!
Wee Fergus Wid Hiv Spotted The Oddities…
When He Had Agent RanchoFranco Doin’ The ‘DUE DILLIGENCE’….
Yes Siree…
The Bunnet Hid His Heid Screwed On..
Quick,Petec !….Catch The Lawwell…
Afore He Floats Up Yon Kilpatrick Hills..
An’ Cadges A Lift Oan A Passin’ UFO !!
~~~~
SFTB 10:23
Well said.
:)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Open mic session – Live from The Louden……………
Troll(s) turn it up………….
Mike In Toronto
Don’t tell me Simeone turned it down????
SImI one. A borderline fruitcake who would sell his soul for a win. If only. He would certainly sort out our unprofessional layabouts.
Is Bielsa a possible ?
Beefy..,
In the immortal words of Bankier, behave yourself
Donald, that made me chuckle. We all need it after another onfield shambles.
Delaney, can we get that Villareal guy in your opinion? I guess not but he has done some job this season.