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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Luxcelt
Thanks. Didn’t know that. When he moved up again I just assumed he was filling a gap in an emergency. Didn’t realise it was a plan. Would have preferred Tommy to Brian Whittake.
Whittaker
GGHS
Remember Roger Whittaker scoring a goal of the season contender, then running over to the Jungle to bow in front of us. Very funny but he was still a poor Celtic performer over all.
Big Virgil gave Josh his boots!!! Size 11 and a 1/2
Canny be donkeyed reading back. Leave Izzy alone though. Delightful player.
Thot Ronnie might have given Scepovic the chance of a hat trick yesterday.
Night all Night wee Oscar my hero. God bless x x
Brian McNeill wrote some crackers, this… ma favourite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBLqHrqymNo
A mile fae Pentcaitland, on the road tae the sea,
Stands a yew tree a thousand years auld,
The auld people swear by the gray o their hair
That it knows what the future will hold,
For the shadows of Scotland stand round it,
‘midst the kail an the corn an the kye –
Aa the hopes an the fears of a thousand long years,
Under the Lothian sky.
My bonnie yew tree, tell me what did you see?
Did you look through the haze o the lang simmer’s days,
Tae the south an the far English border?
Aa the bonnets o steel on Flodden’s far field,
Did they march by your side in guid order?
Did you ask them the price o their glory
When you heard the great slaughter begin?
For the dust o their bones
Would rise up from the stones
Tae bring tears tae the eyes o the wind.
Did ye no think tae tell when John Knox himsel
Preached under your branches sae black
Tae the puir common folk who would cast off the yoke
O the bishops an priests fae their backs?
But you knew the bargain he sold them
An freedom was only one part,
For the price o their souls was a gospel sae cold
It would freeze aa the joy in their hearts.
Not once did you speak for the poor an the weak
When the moss troopers lay in your shade
Tae hide fae the thunder an count out the plunder
An share aa the spoils o the raid.
But you saw the smiles o the gentry
An the laughter o lords at their gains,
For when the poor hunt the poor across mountain an moor
The rich man can keep them in chains.
I thought as I stood an laid hands on your wood
That it might be a kindness tae fell you.
One kiss o the axe an you’re freed fae the wracks
O the sad, bloody tales that men tell you.
But a wee bird flew out from your branches
An sang out as never before,
An the words o the song were a thousand years long
Let’s learn them before many more.
My bonnie yew tree, tell me what do you see?
Liked it yesterday when the PA guy introduced the Celtic youth team ….then went onto to praise them for there youth cup win “defeating that other team from Glasgow” by 5 goals for and 2 against..
Italiabhoy 21.04.
Very accurately put. Our board showed their testicles and they were unimpressive. They should have been like spacshoppers but instead were like wee jorries.
They did indeed let us down. Weak is a description that will haunt this era of our club’s history beyond my lifetime. I hope they make amends for my son and my unborn grandchildren.
Wel said
Wan for Ernie, if the WOMAD ghuys can find me the Carolina Herrera version I’d be forever in their debt
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SSRVtlTwFs8
Thunder Road
23:48 on
25 May, 2015
garygillespieshamstring
Love it when folk can say what i think or feel in about half as many words and still do a better job :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~++~~~~~~~~~~~~
Handy,in your line of work,that a picture paints a thousand words.
Zbyszek 22:57 on 25 May, 2015
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.
………………………………….
Zbyszek
In a previous life I used to be very, very involved with the WOMAD event when it was held in Reading for ten years. Sorry to see it leave the town and saw some great gigs.
Hope you saw leftclicktic’s link to all the Transatlantic sessions above.
HH
RWE
Rivermead must have been just round the corner from you!
Btw,James Taylor is being interviewed at the moment by Johnny Walker on R2.
Two hour interview,good stuff so far.
weeman67
19:59 on
25 May, 2015
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
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Marvellous,but chilling photography.
Lest we forget.
Sometimes I think we have.
Paul
I have to dispute if you think it’s all about systems, not players,
Do you think that the likes of Madrids, Barcas, Man City and Chelskis of this world are successful because they have the best players in the world or the best systems and only average players.
Do you think that MONs team was successful because of the system or because of the likes of Sutton Larsson Hartson Lambert Lennon and co
Smacks a bit of expectation management perhaps?
Pope Francis ‘hasn’t watched TV for 25 years’.
…his Holiness has missed nothing.
He must get the San Lorenzo results off Radio Alfajores.
Good Morning CQN
Sorry I missed you all at the CQN corner on Sunday
Got there about 1130
There were a couple of lads signing the OB petition but no familiar faces
Met the lads from the Kano foundation all doing a fantastic job with the kids
Also met Leftclicktic with his bucket well done all the bucketeers
Hope you made loads of cash
Was a fantastic day
Roll on next season to make it 5 in a row
Hail Hail
Mt
Morning all.
Quick read back and I see Izzy being discussed.
Astonishing that his work rate was questioned. I don’t think there’s a harder working player in the team, his willingness to get up and down that wing all season has been phenomenal, even more so when paired with Stokesy.
Yes his crossing can be frustrating at times but it’d be interesting to rate him against other players in his position.
I’m pretty sure Ronny will be telling him to put the ball into areas. It’s up to the rest to attack those areas.
All about opinions I suppose.
Good morning friends from a dry and otherwise non eventful East Kilbride.
Morning all,
Izzie’s final ball can be erratic at times. Connected with the sheer amount of running he’s involved in?
2 perfect cutbacks for goals on Sunday. Worth credit surely?
Weakness is the high diaganol ball.
Work rate? Anyone who questions that is watching a different game from me!
Would be great to have a Roberston type to share game time with. Would probably add 2-3 years to his career.
Finally who’s last off the pitch after thanking everyone?
HH jamesgang
Is our defence record breaking? Has Izzy played nearly every game as part of that defence?
Is it therefore a little bit wide of the mark to say he’s a poor defender? I think so.
jamesgang –
aye, but apart from that…?
whathavetheIzzyseverdoneforusCSC
What ha Izzy ever done for us
;-) x 2!!!’
See Izzie even makes the frown turn upside down for the old Canamalar Mhan!!!
Jobo. Game was cr£p on Sunday. You missed nowt!
HH jamesgang
We played 58 competitive games this season
We go beat in 14% of the games Izzy played
We got beat 67% of the games Izzy never played
Conclusion 95% of people don’t give a funkey muck about stats
When Mulgrew came on we went to a back 3
Maybe a wee trial run allowing Izzie to play wingback
…okay, but apart from better sanitation, roads, wine, education, health and sieve reinforcement………….what has Izzy ever done for us!?
HH
Sporting dandy haircuts
Good Video…….. Champions of Scotland
http://youtu.be/RPPS_mctlQE
HH
bankiebhoy1-
Apart from playing with his chuckies in the tunnel in the full glare of TV cameras on Sunday?
:-)
Izzy is a big part of the Celtic team and his contribution to the cause since he arrived had been outstanding.
And he gets us.
Morning all.
Another dull day down here. We’re nearly at the end of May. I must be suffering from SAD. Even when the sun does shine,the wind cuts through you like a knife. Freezing. Come on you weather gods.Get the finger oot.
GeezabrekCSC.
if Izzy [like
If Izzy [like Beram Kayal] had not got injured his stay with the famous Glasgow Celtic would have been brief.
He’s the best fullback we’ve had since the great Didier, and he more than fills the gorgeous Giorgios great haircut void.
..and Imeeting Mrs Jinkyredstar was the highlight of her 18th anniversary
ole keyboard possessed this morning!
..and Izzy meeting Mrs Jinkyredstar was the highlight of her 18th anniversary
Out of the current team he’s my favourite player.
Who was Izzy playing against?
How many crosses did he put into the box?
Is he a workhorse or a, huffer & puffer?
Braafeid seems to be getting it tight by some?
Braafeid played under a puppet-manager who took it on the chin and, tried to pass off, Crosas & Nguemo(sp) as a tigerish midfield pairing who were blown off almost every pitch that they entered…Alex Neil monstered the pair of them one day oot at Hamilton.
Braafeid / Crosas / Nguemo just 3 of the pishy players who were brought to the club and, further reduced the quality of the product on the pitch and, guess what….?….there was hardly a wimper from the supporters…?
Just this we example of how the Celtic support will put up with any amount of pish on the pitch….they’ll even try to tell ye that we had a clean sheet record domestically this season…?…well, doo-daa-day!
What they’ll not tell you is….that, the Celtic hierarchy…..on the supporters behalf….brought in a new manager and, tasked him with getting the club into the CL-money-group-stage.
He was handicapped by the loss of the use of the stadium that the Celtic fans built with their share-issue-money….as, the board…chanced their arm to get another £5 million that would have, disappeared up the usual lumb,by ‘prostituting’ the stadium, built by Celtic fans to….the British-Establishment’s Commonwealth-Games…and, as a consequence…played a huge part in ‘blowing’ £20 million of CL-Money….?…that would also have disappeared up the usual lumb as well….thing is, if there were structures in place through-out the club…a club the size of Celtic then, resposibility has to kick-in…..somewhere along the line…?…No?….If so, who’s head didn’t roll…that should have…?
Ye see….there is a ‘culture’ within Celtic Park where…nobody is responsible….nobody, answers to anybody…?….or, so it seems…?
The Celtic board should be answerable to the Celtic supporters who put all their money into the club….but….here’s a wee surprise for ye….the board don’t answer to you.
The Celtic board know that…the Celtic support are….toothless.
The Celtic board have…imho…tipped the wink to the Scottish footballing establishment that….with the obvious backing of DD…the Celtic support won’t pose a problem to all yer jiggery-poakiry…to get Rangers FC back into the same league as, Celtic FC.
Ye see….the Celtic support have taken a leaf from the boards book and…are looking the other way….just like the grand ole days of, jelly & ice cream….how good does that taste now, eh?
Nahhhh…Celtic supporters are about to pick up the tab for all the mountains of jelly & ice cream that were gluttoned(hunlike) by the Celtic support of today….too busy looking for ‘cheap-shots’….instead of seeing the job through by….making sure that, the huns were put out the game, all together.
The Celtic board have conveyed the message during their collusion that…Celtic fans are ‘toothless’….(nae wonder after eating all that:)….but, seriously….Celtic fans have put up with so much pish over the years that….you aspire to be door-mats…..the bus disny even stop to let you on to take yer seats at the back….so sad.
Turnbull Hutton(RIP)….shamed Celtic Football Club….and worse….Celtic’s fans weren’t cute enought to ‘get’ his trick….so sad.
Apathy FC.
Reap what you have sown….Celtic supporters….so sad.
Away oot tae the darkened room…..
It will never be dark enough though, will it?