Good teams can score anywhere. Great teams can defend anywhere. Celtic have set a modern time record for lowest goals conceded in a league campaign of 17, beating the record jointly held by Martin O’Neill’s Celtic 13 years ago, and by Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen in the 80s, by a single goal.
This is a remarkable achievement but the bald fact hides another story. We conceded 12 times in their first 17 league games of the campaign, but conceded only five in the remaining 21 games:
St Johnstone scored with a rebound after Gordon saved.
St Johnstone scored when Danny Swanson fired unstoppable shot.
Inverness scored with a rebound after Johansen blocked on line.
Kilmarnock scored a deflection from shot from outside box.
Dundee scored from a move which opened Celtic defence.
Unstoppable shots, or deflections, from outside the box are, from a defensive organisation perspective, irrelevant. If someone ‘buys a lottery ticket’ with a low percentage shot and it ends up in the net, you’ve no remedial action to worry about.
Two rebounds ended up in the net. We don’t make many goal-line clearances, by keeper or defender, so reacting to the second ball is worth doing when opponents get inside the Celtic box. Dundee scored an 87th minute consolation in a game they were completely out-thought. Perhaps a momentary lapse from a Celtic team who thought their work was done for the day.
That 17 goal tally, a record which stretches back 96 years, is largely a story of the last six months, but it’s been a different story in cup games over the same period, where we’ve conceded eight in eight games.
The roof fell in over in the first half against Inter Milan at Celtic Park. While the three goals could be put down to bizarre mistakes I suspect the real story is that we didn’t have the game-plan right for an opponent of that standard. The remaining game and a half against Inter was different, where we conceded only a single ‘lottery ticket’ goal.
Dundee United scored with a disputed penalty (let’s not get started) and Inverness scored three against 10 man Celtic. Those three Inverness goals contrast so sharply with the rest of the season that you could conclude that we don’t have a robust game-plan for playing with 10 men against domestic opposition. The earlier 10-man performance at the San Siro was a different (much better) story, but tactics for Inter Milan and for Inverness will always be so different they are not worth comparing.
The loss of Jason Denayer and potential loss of Virgil van Dijk provides Ronny with a real challenge to maintain or improve the defence next season, but as you will know if you’ve been paying attention for the last 10 months, it’s all about systems, not players, so there’s a lot to be hopeful about going forward…….. apart from the fact that the only goals we’ve conceded since the middle of December in all competitions were to players wearing blue or orange!
Happy Lisbon Lions Day!
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this skybet pop up is driving me nuts
it doesnt want to be closed
can the blog please get rid of these pop ups
PFayr. Rodgers could do with spending some time with Inverness CT and John Hughes to learn how to play the passing game on the ground. H.H. :- )
If Rodgers escapes the bullet he will be one lucky man.
He has done in over 200 million.
As it is Memorial Day here in th U.S.A. I would like to thank all who have served and who are serving at this time. May your God be with you and guide you home safely.
The following may be interesting to any of you who are war buffs, if not please scroll by.
http://blogs.denverpost.com/captured/2010/03/18/captured-blog-the-pacific-and-adjacent-theaters/#more-1547
TR-50 Mil for 3 Southampton players ?
blantyretim.
Totti has stated that he wants to play for Roma next season and then retire.
Tallybhoy/SOT
Thanks bhoys
Liam Henderson an used sub in Rosenborg’s 3-2 win today. Not seeing much game time most recently.
It will gie him more time with that lovely local lass he has posted pictures of.
is she sitting in the dugout with him?
Diego Maradona on Blatter. Piece fro the article.
Football did not change for better in the last years.
It’s management (FIFA)changed into the platform for corruption.
View of all for who football is dear is that:
FIFA has changed under Blatter into the institution of shame and cheating.
In these days world it’s very unusual that one and the same man is five tenures a head
of big instutution. This is against United Nations principles.
Same things do not happen in democratic countries but that is fair for FIFA rules.
We people of football have dictator on the top of our institution,
dictator for the rest of our life.
When I ask peope, what do they think about Blatter’s fifth tenure, I hear one answer from all of them:
“He won thus trust thanks to nepotism, submission and favourism”.
No one gives me the answer that Blatter is the better candidate for that post, not better than anyone else.
Many do not understand how these things may still work well for him.
People with who I talk, compare Blatter to the old mafioso who this way or another escaples from beeing jailed.
Blatter says: he is going to fight against the racism and support women’s football.
If true, I have one question: what did he do during all four tenures?
The answer for this question is well known by all. He work hard to have scum people around,
who have pockets full of black money stolen from football.
His friends have stollen everything apart from the fornuture from their offices.
I’m sorry for mistakes. Not much spare time at the momemnt. Will be back later.
Murray had an offer to sell to Alistair Donald who had £50M lined up as I was advised over dinner with a Rangers Director in Marelybone one fine summer evening. He said no as he could not afford a blue chip guy expose his shenanigans.
Celtic knew every step of the way what was going on. Email from former chairman Alistair Johnston to Dermot at the beginning that Whyte was a shyster.
It’s a small world. Celtic are still 100% informed on every move taking place at Ibrox.
The only thing Celtic cannot predict is the CL qualification outcome…hence the need for the spotlight to be on Lawwell.
PFAyr at 19.39.
Chanty rastler is a great insult used a lot by the fantastic Rikki Fulton in some shows he performed on his own or as Francie & Josie with Jack Milroy.
It’s not that long ago some were coming on here saying it wouldn’t surprise them if Murray came to sevco’s rescue and that it was some sort of master plan all along. Not just journalists that were under his spell.
http://www.lfchistory.net/Transfers/ByManager/25-1
bada,
Here’s a list up to last summer.
Don’t know if he bought anyone in January.
tricoloured ribbon
19:51 on 25 May, 2015
At least we know
By the way that is some list of players that BR has purchased, and we moan about Amido & Pukki, anyhow folks have a great night wee blade back at school the morra and I have had a pretty long weekend on this fine site so it’s a good night from me
Take care & Hail Hail
dallas dallas,
Rikki Fulton is buried beside my maw and da.One gravestone separates them.
What a job Alex Neil has done at Norwich.
Tricoloured Ribbon. Do you know over the same period how much he brought in from selling players ? H.H.
Plenty on http://www.cqnmagazine.com today on the aftermath to yesterday’s wonderful day in Paradise and also on the Lisbon Lions including a wee interview with Tommy Gemmell, who incidentally has picked up considerably health wise and was in good form this afternoon after enjoying Celtic’s title celebrations. He passes on his best wishes to all on CQN.
New end of season edition of CQN Magazine is out tomorrow – it’s on a new format so hopefully you will like it.
While we were at Parkhead yesterday the MSM were featuring a freelance journalist’s column in the FIFA Magazine which stated that Rangers were liquidated and relegated / the relegation part being proof that they are the same club.
They went on to reference our Statement from Celtic Supporters as the contrary argument and lined up the usual same club nonsense arguments to back up their case.
This is a remarkable piece of lamb munching journalism.
They could have considered the points we made and disproved them – no-one ever has. ASA’s lawyers and the Sunday Herald lawyers both came to the same conclusion – as Donald Findlay had early reached – that they are a new entity.
To counter that months later – as Dave King’s season ticket and investment drive is about to get underway, by claiming that they are the same club because a journalist said so (he didn’t) in an article, is hilarious.
If that is all that is required Craig Whyte would truly be a billionaire cos Keith Jackson – The award winning sports journalist – wrote it in his column.
Our Statement nailed them. It’s great that months later they still can’t negate its effect. Well done again to all who contributed- best few quid we’ve ever spent!
Check out the mag site for features mentioned above http://www.cqnmagazine.com
Tricoloured, I hope Rikki is making your mum laugh in heaven.
I gather both have their graves at Dalnottar?
Yes dallas.
North Dalnottar bud.
Did anyone else see the contestant “Stew ” on this evening episode of Pointless?
When asked what team he supported he said Glasgow Rangers or as they are now known Newco or Sevco.
Me and Mrs TT nearly fell of our respective sofa’s.
Hopefully it will be on BBC IPLAYER
And it will go viral.
TT
Joe,
130 million.
TT
Already been on twitter and cqn
Latchford
“Celtic knew every step of the way what was going on. Email from former chairman Alistair Johnston to Dermot at the beginning that Whyte was a shyster.
It’s a small world. Celtic are still 100% informed on every move taking place at Ibrox.”
Agree 100%, a few years back I was told by someone who has business dealings with the great mostachioed one, that more than one of the people who were looking at their books, were inquiring at his behest, you don’t become as successful or as rich as he is without knowing your supposed enemy.
HH
tinytim,
He had to be a Tim taking the piss surely?
TR-was on Skybet to stick a fiver on Ancelotti for next Liverpool manager , was 25/1, hey presto price change to 14s:(, got 16/1 betvictor.
Hail Hail Champions
Just back from my trip to Scouseland.
Picked a right rotten game to attend BUT ended up in the company of another fellow Tim watching the Champions celebrate hammering the highlanders pure magic so it was ;)
Must admit I was absolutely STOKED with yon Red Keechs Result so just leave BR alone he’s doin a grand job ;). Hail Hail & Nsno
Headline News: that won’t make the rags
Zombie Pointless Renegade admits NEWCO Rankers are his no 1 !!!
Their Deid am tellin ye their Deid .
Calton Tongues told us for years that Oldco had real problems and it was only a matter of time.
Hi bhoys and ghirls a wee appeal my daughter Elizabeth a long time season ticket holder since our return from hampden, and now has a son and daughter, season ticket holders, is running the Edinburgh marathon next Sunday 31/5/2015 on behalf of Celtic charity, the Celtic foundation. She has been training very hard and is looking forward to the run. If anyone would like to donate to the cause this is her address.
https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/elizabethgemmell1
A wee aside Elizabeth’s birthday is on 6th November 1987 exactly one hundred years to the day, brother Walfrid, formed Celtic, a born Celt.
It was good to meet Eddie from kirkmicheal at paradise yesterday hope you got plenty of signatures for the FAC petition, a true tim. Great day with my two Daughters and three grandweans, Helen who was thirty on Saturday had a wee hangover but cheered up when she appeared on the big screen, hail hail
Bada,
Good luck to you pal.
Cannae see that materialising but ye never know!
25th May?
Apart from my wedding day and the birth of my three bairns, is the only date I remember.
Lisbon 67 in my life is a highlight.
I remember distictly Kennedy and Armstrong as well, and many events since.
But in my life 25th May 67, is extra SPECIAL !!!
heroes are forever
20:46 on 25 May, 2015
Hi bhoys and ghirls a wee appeal my daughter Elizabeth a long time season ticket holder since our return from hampden, and now has a son and daughter, season ticket holders, is running the Edinburgh marathon next Sunday 31/5/2015 on behalf of Celtic charity, the Celtic foundation. She has been training very hard and is looking forward to the run. If anyone would like to donate to the cause this is her address.
https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/elizabethgemmell1
A wee aside Elizabeth’s birthday is on 6th November 1987 exactly one hundred years to the day, brother Walfrid, formed Celtic, a born Celt.
It was good to meet Eddie from kirkmicheal at paradise yesterday hope you got plenty of signatures for the FAC petition, a true tim. Great day with my two Daughters and three grandweans, Helen who was thirty on Saturday had a wee hangover but cheered up when she appeared on the big screen, hail hail
————–
How come gift aid doesn’t work?
TR-HH
toffeetim,
Everton my favourite English team.
Great people who support them but they will go nowhere with Martinez.
Safety first at all times,4 at the back,two defensive midfielders in every game.
He has to go.
Latchford
How do you know , what the Celtic board supposedly know?
TT
Tri-coloured ribbon 20.35
I don’t think so.
TT
Tricoloured Ribbon
19:51 on 25 May, 2015
gerryfaethebrig
19:41 on 25 May, 2015
tricoloured ribbon
19:26 on 25 May, 2015
Don’t believe everything Sky say, they still think Sevco are Rang**s
…………..
And the myth is swallowed by all and sundry.
Very, very few people are aware that they were liquidated.
Sky have done a superb job in keeping the same club scenario alive.
************
As you say, since the media is slanted, it is not a great surprise that many people dont know the truth. However, I suspect the answer to this is not as simple as saying that sky have done a superb job. It is a bit more complicated than that.
I think the answer can be found in Gramsci’s work on hegemony. In short, Gramsci argued that hegemony is the way by which the ruling or upper classes maintain their privileged postions without overt violence. And they do that by (i) creating a narrative that justifies or supports the existing power structures, and (ii) getting the oppressed to buy into/accept that narrative …. that can be done in a variety of ways, but what it comes down to is getting the oppressed to buy into, or at least not overtly challenge, the lies they are being told.
It does seem like there is a great deal of that going on in Scottish football.
Personally, I suspect that a great many football fans (even Sevco fans) have some sense of what went on (that there was cheating, even if they dont know the details or extent of the cheating). Most, however, simply dont want to confront it.
It is aking to a cheating spouse…. I dont know how many cases I have come across, where deep down one party suspected if not knew of the infidelity, but chose to ignore those suspicions for a variety of reasons. Sometimes these reasons can be noble … people dont want to confront the problem, as it will split the family, and the children will suffer, so one parent suffers in order to protect the children. Other times the reasons may not be so selfless …. people dont want to give up a certain lifestyle to which they have become accustomed.
For whatever reason, it seems like a great many people in Scotland dont want to confront the issue as they wont like what it says – that this kind of insitutional bullying and bigotry has been and is a part of social fabric – about Scotland and them. It is easier to say that, for example, Neil Lennon ‘brings it on himself’, than confront the truth (that he was assaulted, and demonized because of where he was born and raised). And so, the lies about NFL get promulgated.
And this problem is not just with Sevconians, or with Scots of a non-Celtic persuasion. This problem is brewing within elements of our support.
Paul67 and CQN have done a great job in shining a light on the financial and institutional issues at Rangers/Sevco and the SFA/SPFL. But, little has been said or questioned about Celtic’s role in this sad story.
Over the last few years, I have come to feel that a great many Celtic fans would like to move on from this whole episode…. part of it is just ‘news fatigue’ … when a story drags on for years, people just get sick of hearing about it, and want to move onto something new …
but I also suspect that there is more to it than that.
Some I suspect know that the system is corrupt, but dont believe that it will change, and feel that we are now in a position of power (win trophies) we should focus on doing that, even if it mean ignoring the problems. It is the ‘make hay while the sun shines’ or the ‘get what you can while you can’ approach.
There are other guys on here who I suspect have realized that, if we push this too far, we might not like where it leads us. For example, if we look at the SFA/SPFL complicity in the scandal, and Celtic representatives were involved in some of these boards, does this not mean that we are questioning their role in this, and so, Celtic’s integrity as an institution?
Given what we know and dont know about the 5 way agreement, it defies logic that Celtic didn’t have some inkling of this (even if they didn’t know everything) and that fans haven’t demanded answers from our board about what they knew and when. As fans, wwe should be at the gates with torches and pitchforks demanding answers from our Board (thanks go to those like Canamalar, Morrissey and others for their work in this area)
I suspect that many of us of a certain generation (I’m not as old as some, but older than most on here probably) were born in a time when (i) we were taught not to question authority ,and (ii) since Celtic was often under attack in some form, we felt it was our obligation to defend Celtic from attack, and we still are acutely sensitive to any form of criticism of our club. Nobody wants to find out that our heroes have feet of clay ….. so, sometimes, the easiest thing is not to ask.
However, in the age of Wikileaks, it is getting harder to pretend that we aren’t aware of possible problems.
CQN has done much to dispell the old ‘one is as bad as the other myth’, and rightly so. We weren’t/aren’t as bad as them, but that doesn’t mean that we dont have our own problems.
I am concerned that, if we dont get out front of this, and try to clean house (including at our own house, if that is where the inquiries lead us) that as a club we will end up compromised, and lose that something that made Celtic unique and special.