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Great teams can defend anywhere

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

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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  3. mike in toronto on

    ernie …. what can I say? I’m a gramsci fan. At least I didn’t trot out Derrida (another fave) today!

     

     

    BMCUWP … that is the point .. that is normally part of a sale by share, but that possibilty died when Rangers were liquidated. Hence, once the CVA was rejected, they came up with this dumbass story … its the same club … we bought their history.

     

     

    I bought my house from a Mr. Smith …. it didn’t mean I was married to his wife!

  4. clogher celt on

    itscalledmalvinas,

     

     

    Thanks, looking forward to meeting you.

     

     

    DD,BMCUWPs,

     

     

    If you have time have a look back at the song I posted at 2219.

     

     

    Clogher

  5. RWE on

    BMCUWP

     

     

    Poor wee guy was an ophan at one year old (his old man just left actually) and at six his foster parents moved back to Irvine and the London.

     

     

    Just in case anyone wondered why he was prone to melancholia…

     

     

    That would be part of the answer.

     

     

    Thanks for the email, get back to you tomorrow.

     

     

    NaeBetsHere CSC

  7. Delaneys Dunky on

    BMCUW

     

     

    You and Swindonbhoy must have been the happiest pair in Swindon yesterday.

     

    Priest Town I like. :))

     

    Your ear must have been burning post match, in a gathering of CQN guys doon the barras. All good pal. ;)

     

    Cracking party.

  8. mike in toronto on

    Captain …

     

     

    I agree that, historically, football has been the most unbusiness like business I know … and Scottish football, even more so!

     

     

    But Celtic PLC/CQN keeps telling us that it is a business. If something is happening that impacts on our business (for example, we are cheated out of a title, which deprives us of a chance at the Champions League, and the piss pots full of money that come with that qualification) ….

     

     

    then, leaving the morality of it aside, as a business, we should be confronting this. God, I sound like Milton Friedman! Yuck!

     

     

    Anyways, lads, I have to run to a board meeting, so, I will bid you good night, and check in later.

     

     

    HH

  10. Zbyszek on

    Sarah Jarosz interview for rockshot.co.uk 10 February 2014

     

     

    “Have you been to Poland?

     

     

    No, I wish! My last name is Polish, but way more of my family are Irish. So, I have a lot of Irish roots and that grandmother, who had the fiddle, her mum was from Ireland.”

     

     

    She must be Delaneys Donkey then.

  12. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    DELANEYSDUNKY

     

     

    All smiles,mate!

     

     

    And all smiles still,thinking of the mad skwad doon the G getting leathered!!

     

     

    Hope yeez had a whale of a time. And remembered to pour Almore onto a plane…

  13. Zbyszek on

    Delaneys Dunky , I’m sorry, that was spell checker.

     

    I meant – Delaneys Dunky , not Delaneys Donkey.

  14. thomthethim for Oscar OK on

    If/when Celtic sign Dijks, I would mind seeing Izzi moving forward to left midfield, when appropriate.

     

     

    He is a better player on the front foot, with superb balance and footwork. If only his crossing was more consistent.

     

     

    One way or ‘tother, we are going to have to re-jig our back four.

     

     

    I hope that Ronnie sees Manager of the Year, John Hughes as his benchmark.

  15. Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles on

    I would be grateful if you would read the following which is from a friend of mine whom I used to work with. The reason I am posting it here is because Grace’s fund raising seems to have stalled. I would be grateful if one or two of you could consider a donation no matter how small.

     

     

    Also, could some of the Aussie Bhoys please spread this on their FB sites, etc?

     

     

     

     

     

    Mellie McMerryweather feeling hopeful

     

    8 hrs · Edited ·

     

    Bit of a serious post. I write and share this with the permission of my cousin Kelly Bonanno in Australia, she is a very private person but this is a very difficult situation that I hope some of my friends can help with. Kelly has six children, five boys and one daughter, Grace. Grace is thirteen and like LL is Autistic. Grace has been diagnosed with leukaemia and is currently very unwell. Far from home Kelly is living in the hospital with Grace to provide all her care as I’m sure you can appreciate Grace’s Autism makes this whole process even more challenging. What I have come to appreciate over the last few weeks is how blessed we are in the UK in terms of the NHS, benefits system and charitable organisations. Even a wig for Grace has to be paid for and don’t start me on the payment that had to be made to stay at the Ronald Mcdonald house when Grace was in better health. Kelly has approached numerous charities but with no success. I am asking you all to consider making a donation, no matter how small, if not comfortable donating in another currency I will happily give my bank details to you and I will make the donation and pay the non sterling fees. Grace just wants to be well again. I can’t imagine going through this with WB but even less so LL who can’t swallow pills and gags at liquid anti biotics. Kelly has my utmost respect, caring for Grace, missing all her boys and sleeping on a stretcher type bed, I doubt she has had a decent sleep in weeks. Kelly’s family are of faith and Grace has asked for prayers that she gets better. She is looking forward to seeing snow and feeding horses! Thanks for reading, please have a look at the article too. Many thanks. Melanie x

     

     

    http://www.gofundme.com/t57qmy4m

  16. RWE on

    Zbyszek

     

     

    But I hope you liked the music anyway.

     

     

    Bluegrass, Mountain, Folk, Blues and more all mixed in..

     

     

    HH

  19. Delaneys Dunky on

    Leftclick

     

     

    Hope you got plenty autographs yesterday. Great effort from you, FGF, EddieinKirkmichael, HT and Minx’ handsome big bhoy. :)

     

    Salutè

  20. mattgallscot on

    Can’t believe that Ancelotti is on his way to the south side of Glasgow. Ach well good luck to him.

  22. RWE on

    leftclicktic

     

     

    thanks again for the link – excellent and that’s me and MRS RWE sorted for after the last episode of House of Cards :o)

     

     

    John Martyn – Scuse me Mister is one of my favourites. Introduced this song to an American guy who was our guest here today.

     

     

    HH & Thanks again

  25. Hamiltontim on

    DD

     

     

    I was really proud of the Minx’s Bhoy yesterday. He’s a smashin’ lad but doing that sort of thing puts him out of his comfort zone.

     

     

    Not only that but I think it was the earliest I’ve seen him out of his bed on a Sunday! :-)

  26. Delaneys Dunky on

    Zbyszek

     

     

    All good sir. :))

     

    Gdansk and Sligo Grandfathers was an education of culture, growing up in Glasgow. Will visit you in Warsaw 2016 at the latest. God willing.

  27. Zbyszek on

    RWE 22:45

     

    I loved that. I’m big fan of Peter Gabriel’s project WOMAD. Could be everything. The only music I don’t like is pop music. Hardly tolerate even Elton John music.

  30. Cowiebhoy on

    Good report posted about 4 or 5hrs ago by the clumpany, entitled Definitively Pish, all about some Liquidation event which appears not to have happened :-) if you believe some in the media

     

     

    Hail Hail and Nytol

  32. Zbyszek on

    Delaneys Dunky 22:56

     

    There is no Champions League final in Warsaw in 2016 I guess, but will be my pleasure to see you and show you the city.

  34. ernie lynch on

    mike in toronto

     

     

    22:37 on 25 May, 2015

     

     

    I had suggested some weeks ago that the concept of cultural hegemony was a useful analogy to help understand how Scottish football was run for the benefit of the huns.

     

     

    Obviously now that someone else has reached a similar conclusion I will have to reconsider my position..

  37. Saint Stivs on

    Was anyone here the petition collector next to the ambulance between the bus park and the jock stein stand.

     

     

    If ayevthats were I signed.

  38. Tricoloured Ribbon on

    captain beefheart

     

     

    21:34 on 25 May, 2015

     

     

    I am confident that Celtic have, at all times, conducted their business professionally. We have proper business individuals on our board.

     

     

    ……..

     

    What about Desmond?

     

    Any opinion on him?

  40. Hamiltontim on

    clogher celt

     

     

    Cheers for that I’ll watch it tomorrow as I don’t want to wake the missus!!

  41. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    ZBYSZEK

     

     

    WOMAD takes place just along the road from me in Malmesbury. Only been once,on a day ticket.

     

     

    I remember,remember,actually,very little about it!

  42. Hamiltontim on

    saint stivs

     

     

    Stocky (fat) guy with green jaiket?

     

     

    If so, aye. It was Fourgreenfields :-)))))

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