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Game planning works. Back to Seville

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

For the first 20 minutes of the second half, AZ Alkmaar lay siege to the Celtic defence, which stood firm.  They  only looked vulnerable when; in a carbon copy of the move Celtic scored with, Poku stretched but was unable to make a good enough contact to put the ball on target.

Free kicks and corners came and went without fuss, the defensive line was straight and each player in at the back controlled and distributed the ball safely.  Considering most of us believe the defence is the area of the team most in need of supplements, we are already in an elevated position compared to last season.

Yet again Anthony Ralston made a significant contribution, this time, sending Liel Abada clear to cross for our Irrepressible Icon, Kyogo Furuhashi, to do his thing.  Greg Taylor was injured but struggled-on until 24 minutes when he was replaced by Adam Montgomery.  This felt ominous as until then, AZ were most dangerous through their right back, Sugawara, who flooded forward effectively.  Adam more than took care of the Japanese full back in what was one of the most crucial personal encounters of the game.  He is a player.

Both central defenders almost had a flawless game.  Almost.  Stephen Welsh was caught in two minds; he did not head a long ball and he did not let it run through, as a consequence, it skimmed his chest to spark a night of anxiety.

Carl Starfelt’s own goal was a classic of the genre.  The Swede started the season on the left side but after clearly struggling there, Ange Postecoglou switched him to the right. Evidence mounts that his left peg is largely for standing on.  Carl swung at a cross that was going nowhere with his ‘standing foot’.  He missed, the ball struck his right heel and squirmed into the net.  The early weeks of his Celtic career, featuring so much good play, has been peppered by errors.

I am delighted Joe Hart is at Celtic and remain surprised at the improvement in our form he has provided.  Still in the peak years for a keeper, there is a reason he’s no longer in the Lucre League (I believe they prefer “EPL”).  At the point Stephen Welsh was caught in two minds, Joe’s decision-making capacity deserted him.  This was not a footwork error, he just did not correctly judge the pace of the ball in relation to the man who was about to drift past him and score.  The Joe Hart Anthology has another entry.  Our memories should also record that he made two crucial saves during the game.

Yesterday’s blog was entitled “Game management when the roof falls in”.  It is as though we have seen Celtic in Europe before; against the best team we have faced since 2019, there was always the potential for things to drift south rapidly.  Recent Celtic teams crashed and burned after being pushed to the precipice in European qualification.

To the home fans, this must have thought  this looked on the cards during the opening period of the second half, when Celtic could not get out of their defensive third.  Possession was repeatedly surrendered while passing out from the back.  AZ were permitted to mount relentless surges forward, we needed to change the game plan.

Odsonne Edouard arrived on the hour for the majestic but seldom mobile Tom Rogic.  From that moment, Celtic had the engine to cover the pitch and could retain possession.  For all of the criticisms that go his way, if we lose Odsonne next week*, we will have one less game-changing option.

If you are second seed in a European group, as Celtic are, the most important opponent is who you face from the third pot, given the assumption that the top seed is unlikely to drop two places below their expected finish.  In this respect, we got a very difficult draw.

Bayer Leverkusen, sixth last season in Bundesliga, 8 points behind fifth place Eintracht.  Difficult, of course, but a team we should compete against.

Real Betis also finished sixth last season, one place in La Liga above last season’s Europa League winner, Villarreal.  They will be favourites to win the group and are everything we did not want.  We have a bit of history here, of course, they got their first strips from us and we will both always have Seville.

Delighted to get Ferencvaros, they are a decent side but we owe them one.  Bring it on.

*We’ll pick this up at the time, but I’ve been preaching asset management here for 17 years, so you know where I’m going on this subject.

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  11. iljasb on

    Last night my son and I watched some clips of old games

     

     

    Barcelona 7 Celtic 0

     

    PSG 7 Celtic 1

     

    Celtic 2 Barcelona 1

     

     

    Brendan Rodgers was manager in the two defeats and Neil Lennon was manager when they ‘trounced’ Barca 2-1 (they got their goal in injury time). The goalkeepers were respectively: De Vries, Gordon and Foster. Foster was a veritable wall that night and also got the assist for Tony Watt’s amazing goal.

     

    Lessons:

     

     

    Don’t always expect to compete in a footballing sense. Sometimes, as NL did, you have to realize that tactics are more important that going head to head. You have to be realistic and with that comes flexibility.

     

     

    Playing out from the back shouldn’t blind you to opportunities for a quick counter attack.

     

     

    A good GK is worth his weight in gold.

     

     

    NL deserves credit where credit is due. Remember the good times. Don’t focus on the bad times and simplify them into a blame the manager for everything bad that happens.

  27. FrankTerry on

    IMWANDAN on 29TH AUGUST 2021 1:05 AM

     

     

    And I thought I was being pessimistic predicting 3-1 to the good guys :-)

  29. David66 on

    Goooooooooooood morning CQN from an overcast Garngad

     

     

    Up like a wean on Christmas morning because I cannot wait to see the Celtic play.

     

     

    Oh bhoy I hope we play.

     

     

    If we start off getting in behind their 2 full/wing backs and attack, attack, attack I fancy us to score more than them. Take it to them bhoys.

     

     

    Glasgow green for 10 to see the Grandson then pub for 11.

     

     

    COYBIG

     

     

    D :)

  30. Greenpinata on

    What a turnaround. I am totally confident that we will not get beaten today. And quite confident that we will win. Buzzing with anticipation.

     

     

    However for me the big one was on Thursday night. That was mega and sent a feel good factor to all associated with the club.

     

     

    Reading Joe Hart’s comments. We have a guy who really wants to be here. This could be a monumental signing.

     

     

    In Ange we trust. COYBIG.

  32. Neustadt-Braw on

    Gallagher…Timmy7 Noted

     

     

    thoughts are with you and yours…..may your loved ones rest in peace

     

     

    NB

  33. Sláinte Ange on

    IMWANDAN on 29TH AUGUST 2021 1:05 AM

     

    What the eff is going on? Why on eff do we think we are approaching a dominating win later the day? Forget what we hope for and see what is likely to happen.

     

    This is Ibrox! We’re up against a team led by a Kent (spelling may be wrang there). Were facing possibly eleven of the best motivated, coached, rewarded and in-demand players across the universe. Nae Celtic fans. Our dilapidated, confidence drained squad in disarray at the back who have the unshakeable inability to hit the target regularly.

     

    GET REAL!

     

    I really can’t see anything better than a desperately scraped 1-4 victory for Celtic.

     

    IWD

     

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     

    Post of the day ~ kudos my man Dan!

     

    HH

  35. Sid1888 on

    Gooood Morning CQN

     

     

    Really excited to see how we set up today but hope we have a bit of steel in the midfield as if we can dig in there and get enough ball in the attacking third I’m confident we’ll score a couple.

     

     

    HH and GIRFUT Celtic!

  36. gallagher on

    MAGWAI

     

    Beautiful & apt words & so very true re my mother. I can visualise your recent voyage leaving the port. My great grandfather Patrick Gallagher was the last man off the island in 1956 & the only one to cut his own turf on the island. Coinigh uirthi lit & go raibh maith agat as do chuid focal tuisceanach. HH☘️

     

    NEUSTADT-BRAW

     

    Danke mein keltischer freund, braw HH☘️

  38. celticforever on

    does anyone know if any of their covid positive players

     

    are allowed to play today

     

     

    if so the game is a bogey

     

     

    in saying that the main obstacle to a Celtic win is Clancy IMO

  41. Philbhoy on

    Great to meet so many good CQN’ers yesterday!

     

     

    Great to catch up and put a face to nom de blogs!

     

     

    Woke up in my own bed this morning so got home safe!

     

     

    Thanks again!

  42. David66 on

    Let them worry about Kyogo, Abbada-ba-doo, Christie, The Wizard of Oz, Eddie.

     

     

    Get on the front foot from the off and blow them away.

     

     

    COYBIG

     

     

    D :)

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