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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An Tearmann,you are dead right.Pete will be at the top table when this new European League is formed(2/3 years from now IMHO) That is why he needed the Thems to survive. Money.
Mr pastry- 256am
Nobody is asking for unbroken success. Some you win, some you lose.
But our long-term record during mr Lawwell’s time as CEO is far below reasonable expectations.
When we are required to negotiate European qualifiers we have failed more times over a ten year period than we have succeeded. This is despite more often than not being pitted against teams that are lower ranked and have much less resources.
2005 – artmedia – fail.
2007 – spartak Moscow – success.
2009 – arsenal – fair enough it’s not a fair fight against EPL big hitters so let’s write that off.
2010 – Braga. Massive fail.
2010 – Utrecht – fail.
2011 – Sion – fail. Bailed out by their chairman’s stupidity.
2012 – job done v Helsingborgs.
2013 – skin of teeth v the mighty Karagandy.
2014 – epic fail v Legia
2014 – fail v Maribor
2015 – fail v Malmo
It’s 11 attempts at European qualifiers since 2005. Let’s disregard arsenal in 2009 as that’s no fair contest.
So from 10 attempts – against less resourced teams, spartak apart, the record is –
Won 3, lost 7 European qualifying ties against Europe’s lightweights.
And on those occasions that we do make it through, 2012 apart, pickings have been very slim indeed.
Since 2008 the record reads-
Champions League group stages: 3 appearances. 1 2nd place finish, 2 bottom place finishes.
Europa league group stages: 4 appearances. 1 2nd place finish, 1 3rd place finish, 2 wooden spoons.
How many co-efficient points have we amassed since 2008? Barely any.
When season 2012/13 falls off our co-efficient will be akin to that of teams from Macedonia and Albania. We will not be seeded in CL qualifiers (assuming we win SPFL in subsequent years – not a given) or in EL qualifiers making qualification a very difficult ask.
The common strand running through all this as I pointed out before is chaotic transfer business largely completed on deadline day, poor planning, and Celtic teams top laden with punts, loanees and strangers going into European qualifiers and being ripped apart by unspectacular teams who themselves proceed to get ripped apart and thrashed senseless when they reach the CL or EL groups at our expense.
The constant repetition of this failure each year for the reasons outlined above, is the CEO’s responsibility.
It is not being puerile or anti-board to point that out.
The 10 year performance record speaks for itself.
By all means hold the players, coaches, managers etc to account but do the same to those in charge of the strategy and decision-making that brought these players coaches and managers to the club in the first place.
No point fixing the dodgy guttering but ignoring the big hole in the roof.
Get yer ole Hundump Riot 1980 tap at the
tap of the page.
Me, I’ve still got my original wan…worn on the day.
One of the best days of my life.
The day that the huns were dealt out ‘true’ justice
from the hunskelping Junglists from the ole Cellic end.
Wan minute….yer entranced in wan of ‘thee’ most emotional.
spin tingling renditions of – You’ll Never Walk Alone…in the Cellic end.
The next, yer being carried along wi the charge of the Junglists, right
intae the, liberty taking, hun hoarded animals fae the evil end of Hundump.
That….was the day that the civil-unresters dialed the wrang number.
“All over Hundump, we chased them all over Hundump…..”
Ole Jungle chants – CSC
Ye never, never, never ever….kowtow to the civil-unresters.
Ye wait till the numbers are even….then ye show them who’s the
‘real’ champs!
You’ll Never Walk Alone….in the Jungle.
………zzzzzzz…………
THE GLORIOUS BALANCE SHEET on 19TH APRIL 2016 5:46 AM
“Over a ten year period”
Why not twelve ?
Macjay
If TGBS is giving us a run down of the PL performance then he is indeed missing 1 year, but not 2. PL assumed control AFTER Seville, so yes he could have added 2004. It does not make for any better reading unfortunately.
Mind you, I guess that depends on your expectation. It does not match mine.
Anyhow Macjay, not read back yet, so, who do you want to see in, if indeed RD is toast?
Hope you are fit and healthy my friend.
HH
Not advocating anything, not saying something today diametrical to what I said a year ago, not posting under the influence of illicit substances, or booze, or a bruised, angry, rampant, ego but hey life is too short to write a novel that doesn’t tell a story – so to the question…
If peter Lawwel’s tenure at Celtic equals success then what would failure have looked like?
Another question…
If the status quo is the way forward, and our ‘success’ train is left unchecked… how huge are we going to be in 5 years time… uber-galactic or impotently Lilliputian?
Morning Kit (or good evening I think in your time zone)
“If the status quo is the way forward, and our ‘success’ train is left unchecked… how huge are we going to be in 5 years time… uber-galactic or impotently Lilliputian?”
Rhetorical question I guess. Does not bear thinking about.
If we continue along the same lines, I could present a graph now which would show how Celtic’s fortunes and PL’s fortunes would be diametrically opposed.
Kev
hows the health bud? Am I ok to keep you that ticket for the jungle reunion do in 2021, which will hopefully co-incide with our 10 in a row celebrations?
Morning Celts
What kind of man would pay himself million quid bonuses, while refusing point blank to accept any responsibility for failure?
Yeah….thats right, the man with the biggest brass neck in football….Peter Lawell.
Sack that chancer now.
He is responsible for the mess we are in.
Squandering of vast amounts of money on clowns…Derk the latest.
It is stupidity beyond belief….he needs removed now
HH
The green man
A fresh start with a new manager and a new Chief Exec would be nice, assuming of course the new CE considers success on the football field as top of his KPI’s, and any bonus’ would be performance linked to football success and financial stability.
The argument I get thrown at me is you cannot have both, an argument I cannot agree with but no point in me going over it ad nauseum.
EK: Bright, clear skied, sunny, gorgeous.
Twists and Turns
RD isnt a great manager, but you cannot blame him for having a go….he is the scapegoat.
But the fools who have squandered millions on a succession of crap players, got off scot free, and still take the bonuses….for failure.
In any sphere of sport or business….the buck stops with the CEO…..period.
How PL absolves himself from his mismanagement….he simply hides, and we allow it.
Why?
PL needs sacked….no decent manager will work under people like that….no way.
A bean-counter who thinks he knows about football…..and refuses to take responsibility.
I cannot respect someone like that.
Contempt is more appropriate.
HH
Peter Lawell has been sacking people for a long, long time.
Now…its his turn to get sacked.
He is unacceptable.
twists n turns:
If mediocrity is allowed to continue to drive the bus and lauded for it, then the frightening question is not how low can we go… it is how fast is he going to drive us their and how distressing is it going to be for those with the strongest of hearts?
The weak won’t last the journey. They never do. How much more masochistic our deliverance before we say enough is enough.
G’day mate, late afternoon here but I’ll be gone again this time next week and I’ll be quiet again. There is no pleasure putting the fingers into the flames.
Future football success leads to future revenue growth. In fact it’s the only realistic way for us to increase our revenue streams. Better product equals more customers and CL qualification means more TV revenue. It actually beggars belief that football success is not one the KPI’s for the CEO of a football club.
It also beggars belief that there are still people who believe that the CEO is doing a good job. Year on year we sell our best player to plug the hole in our finances caused by footballing failure, constantly decreasing the quality of the product and our chances of future footballing success and CL qualification. No other business would be allowed to be run like this. The CEO would have been sacked years ago.
TGBS
very well said and we don’t stand a chance against a competent technically sound European team this year and we made £11m this year and someone is being paid very well
The Green Man
My thoughts on PL are similar to your own. His strategy for financial stability has been at a cost to the most important factor for Celtic supporters, football success.
I do not disagree that there has to be balance between stability and success, and the tactic of selling assets is not flawed, IF, replace sold assets sensibly.
Porto employed a similar strategy successfully at the same period of time we were lording it up in Seville. Their chairman stated in their annual accounts
” ‘The policy of equipping the team with high-quality athletes has not only provided excellent sporting results, but has also resulted in improving the potential of most of the company’s sources of income, particularly the growth of receipts of transfers; an essential factor for the financial equilibrium of the company.’
Now if PL was following this model, and given he assumed control at the time this statement was made, it’s possible he was, and when you consider McGeady, Wanyama, etc etc, it can work.
If however you consider replacing the likes of those with Derk, and continue to do so, then you start to create a downward trend which, the longer you persist with, makes it more and more difficult to arrest.
We have almost reached that point. No assets, and no quality coming in.
This raises all sorts of questions re scouting networks, the sanctioning of purchases, and that aspect is under PL control. If I could be bothered, I could probably list 20 players in the last 5 years alone with the word “WHY” next to their name.
We will need to throw money at this, and very quickly, but it’s not an impossible trend to reverse.
If the current strategy is maintained, we will be selling KT to Man City and bringing in another 3 projects.
Action required NOW.
TWISTS N TURNS on 19TH APRIL 2016 6:41 AM
Good point.
Don`t have a good response. :-)
I`m afraid that my eyes just glaze over with the continual sniping because simply I don`t feel it is in the interests of Celtic that this constant unabated anti Board whingeing continue.
Particularly because I`m absolutely sure that had we had a successful period of a winning team on the park , then this “off with their heads ” ( the Board ) agenda would not be in vogue.
Don`t have to tell you where I feel the MAJOR problem lies . And it isn`t in the Board room.
New coach ? Not qualified to make a suggestion as to a name . I would think an individual who has some experience of Scottish football and understands the particular issues Celtic have to face ,particularly next season. Even a caretaker with a view meantime .
However , I now feel that an abrupt change now is probably not advisable . Hopefully , Ronny can help us to limp over the line.
Many thanks for your good wishes.
Same to yourself.
Hail Hail
MICHAEL COLLINS
It makes you wonder how much interest Dermot actually has in Celtic.
Does he just overlook the stupidity of PL’s recent strategy?
Like you say….it would not be tolerated elsewhere,…so why do Celtic supporters have to suffer this tin-pot dictator Lawell.
Seems like Celtic are DD’s vanity project….and mostly, he cant be arsed.
He should sell if he is not interested…..im sure the supporters could collectively raise the funds….and would be glad to see the back of all the chancers.
HH
Twist n Turns
I think the solution is staring us all in the face.
Hold Lawell responsible for his massive failures….and sack him.
He has far too much power over our beloved Celtic.
He needs to be a man and admit his failings.
As it stands now….he will be going down in history…as the man who sold the jerseys.
He will feel the wrath of Celtic supporters shortly.
And by god, does he deserve it.
HH
Macjay
I’m not a negative type by nature (some may disagree) but I honestly feel the PL strategy is flawed. I don’t see this as ” constant unabated anti Board whingeing “. I see it as an honest opinion, but I respect totally your alternative viewpoint, and would never insist my views were more important than your own.
I guess my job makes it difficult for me not to look at Celtic from a business perspective, and I honestly feel we can do better, and I am not convinced Peter is taking us to a better place.
Of course, I have no idea what objectives DD has given. If he has said “balance the books at all costs and I will reward you accordingly” then we have the right man in the job.
If he has said “balance the books and domestic success” then he is delivering, or close to it.
If that is the case though, it’ll be further dwindling of crowds over the coming years and mediocrity will prevail. That will not entice the next generation of fans.
And….just to be clear…..if any of the geniuses on the board are thinking of selling young KT, id seriously advise against it.
It will not go down well….at all.
This kind of stupidity needs to stop.
My friends in Celtic,
Opinions are good. Imo calls for the sacking of the board, PL, DD and anybody who moves or is associated with Celtic is illogical.
Just who would buy our majority shareholder out ? When you consider that Aston Villa Who have been ” performing ” in the richest theatre of football have been up for sale for an eternity, it’s hard to see a viable offer to tempt DD.
As for a new manager ( if that is indeed the case ) then we must not go back to the future.
HH.
TWISTS N TURNS on 19TH APRIL 2016 7:48 AM
Macjay
I’m not a negative type by nature (some may disagree) but I honestly feel the PL strategy is flawed.
==========================================================
I have no reason to agree OR disagree with you.
I don`t work in the business sector.
However, the suggestion that P.L. take total responsibility for the unsuccessful recruits we have hired is , to my mind , ludicrous.
Is R.D. Peter Lawwell `s gopher ? If so,his tenure was doomed from the start.
For some of us it was.
The issue is simple .
We have bloggers on C.Q.N. whose intention is subversion.They wish to institute a politically pure socialist Celtic .
They don`t give a damn for the opinions of other Celtic supporters who do not share their outdated thoroughly discredited vision of a socialist Paradise.
The intention of the C.T. is simply a Board run by supporters. ( Presumably with a fair sprinkling of C.T. members.)
Their divisionary tactics are , to my mind , more harmful to Celtic than anything P.L. has done.
The G.B. ?…..The Jeanette Youth movement .
The ulterior motive brigade.
Bet you wish you hadn`t asked.
:-)
GreenPinata
I dont understand how the basic rules of Capitalism need to be changed to suit PL.
Shouldnt the CEO always be responsible for failure?.
Or are we being transported back to the days of feudalism, to serve in Peter’s Kingdom as his vassals.
Wouldnt it be easier….if PL would just man up?
Fed up with all the hiding.
Green Man,
I might be missing something here but …
You,’re not a fan of Lawwell, right..?
:-)
THE LONG WAIT IS OVER
I dont want Celtic to be run by a mob of chancers who refuse to accept responsibility for their failures.
That PLC….are like a re-run of the biscuit-tin mob.
Like relics of a bygone age.
They are Dinosaurs.
Time for a transformation.
I think that there are fans on the left, far left, right and far right but the majority of fans have little interest in the politics. Rightly or wrongly PL is the devil to many Celtic fans and his tenure is untenable
GO TELL THE SPARTIM on 19TH APRIL 2016 8:22 AM
I think that there are fans on the left, far left, right and far right but the majority of fans have little interest in the politics. Rightly or wrongly PL is the devil to many Celtic fans and his tenure is untenable.
===================================================
And Ronny`s a darling.
The prime failure is on the field .
Ask Rod Stewart.
Peter Lawwell’s performance indicators, by which his level of remuneration is to be calculated, will have been set by The Great Desmondo.
For all anyone posting on this blog knows he may have met them.
Green man
FWIW I agree.
It’s time for a change.
I’ve posted before I believe PL is going in the summer anyway and he had decided to do that some time back.
I have also heard that DD is for chucking it but that one I’m not so sure about.
I think we all know what’s coming down the line for RD.
tlwio
Morning Timland from a soon to be warm hun free mountain valley.
Macjay
Let’s assume you are correct for a minute in your assertions about the CT the GB et all.
These are the things you have a problem with.
We have bloggers on C.Q.N. whose intention is subversion.They wish to institute a politically pure socialist Celtic .
They don`t give a damn for the opinions of other Celtic supporters who do not share their outdated thoroughly discredited vision of a socialist Paradise.
The intention of the C.T. is simply a Board run by supporters. ( Presumably with a fair sprinkling of C.T. members.)
Their divisionary tactics are , to my mind , more harmful to Celtic than anything P.L. has done.
The G.B. ?…..The Jeanette Youth movement .
The ulterior motive brigade.
…………………………………………………
Point one, what is wrong with wanting a socialist board ?
Point Two, supposition on your part.
Point three, What would be wrong with supporters who have the club at heart running the club ?
Point four, can you give me an example, any example where their diversionary tactics have harmed the club in any way, in any way whatsoever, remember you said diversionary.
Point five, the ulterior motive brigade, you have proof of this, care to share it, and even if you are correct, which you are not, ulterior to a board that is causing untold damage to the club has to be a step in the right direction, or are you happy to see the club regress year on year with the current policies >
HH
Ernie
That’s correct – if Phil MacG is correct , however, PL isn’t currently top of DD’s Xmas card list.
The Green Man- accountability for CEOs? That’s for the birds. These days the lumpen proletariat pay for the CEO’s incompetence, whilst the CEO gets a higher bonus. Socialism for the elite, vomit capitalism for the rest of us.
At least there is trickle down economics…, oh hang on, Panama
Macjay
“However, the suggestion that P.L. take total responsibility for the unsuccessful recruits we have hired is , to my mind , ludicrous”
Without knowing who is pulling the strings and calling the shots I would find it impossible to call.
The scouts however, certainly John Park must report to PL, so I don’t think it is ridiculous to say he has to take some responsibility.
So the entire ‘Rangers’ Board were in tears after the game? Well the entire Celtic support was in tears after seeing it come to this. A clueless amateur play one man up front and invite the mighty Glasgow Sevco on to us so we could hit them on the break. The same eejit who has played gung ho in ECL qualifiers. Make up your mind you clown. Sitting in against Sevco. The ultimate weakness from the weakest manager you could ever hopelessly appoint.
One place there wouldn’t be tears? The Celtic boardroom. Smart arse Pete is too clever to submit to mere emotion. That guy’s genius is written all over the state of our club at the moment. A genius I tell you.
Coolmore Mafia
The Celtic Aristocracy….need de-throned.
The voices of thousands of angry Celtic supporters will be heard.
People who attempt to ignore it.
Wont be here long.
You can only treat supporters like s**** for so long…..and when the backlash comes, it will be angry.
I want my club back…I want a real Celtic team.
Im willing to fight for it.
HH
“If peter Lawwel’s tenure at Celtic equals success then what would failure have looked like? ”
We don`t have to ook too far over Glasgow for the answer 0:-)
Kitalba
Your travels sound genuinely interesting. I would enjoy reading an account of them.If you are inclined, you could drop me an email ( address form Paul 67 ….or ACGR if you have his).
JJ
PS Zipping out now. Will respond to any reply later.