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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Hi Jinky, nice to meet up with fellow CQNrs and put names to faces.
I hope your romantic meal included the vegetarian haggis and neeps I had in Babbity’s, twas delicious and lined the ole stomach for the copious Guinness that was to come.
Hope you and the missus had a grand night
Cheers bmcuw and emeraldbee
Smashing meal in Pelican just across from Kelvingrove – always decent in there
Just been scanning back. Unbelievably, only minutes after the final whistle, some CQNers were arguing about what is the official name of the team from Govan.
Not long surfaced after a day – and night – of celebration. Really enjoyed the game, despite Kris Commons doing me out of £110 winnings with his last minute goal.
I sit in the front row of the South Stand and beside us every home game is a teenage girl in a wheelchair accompanied by her father. Stefan Johansen came up to her and presented her with his match boots. A great gesture from a great player.
Terrific atmosphere with a crowd of 55,638. The second biggest attendance in Britain.
Hail Hail and onward to 5-in-a-row.
Test
Aye…smile & be happy after all….yer a TIM :0)
:):):):):);););):):):):):):););):);):):):);):);):):):);):);):)
Folk are stopping me and asking….
…”Do you have a coathanger stuck in yer mooth?”
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Hohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohoho
Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe
Hail Hail – Happy Lisbon Lions Day to all Celts
….oot.
Tom,
I had a wee head shake at some of the comments too.
Regarding yer ‘loss’…. Girl in front of my mate has Scep and 4-0.
I think she was the only one in green who didn’t cheer Kc’s goal.:)
Afternoon Timland from a hot hun free mountain valley.
Agree 100% Paul, it’s about the system we play, and the 4-2-3-1 system is working very well.
And yet we still have football dinosaur supporters coming on wanting us to play an outdated system, a system that doesn’t work against a better class of opposition.
Till we can compete with richer teams on a leveler playing field, we have to adopt a system that lesser players can at least give themselfs a fighting chance.
HH
PS
Thanks Lymmbhoy for posting the after match celebrations, missed them yesterday.
I enjoyed yesterday, and moreover, this season, albeit both came with some regrets.
Ronny Deila’s appointment broke the mould, and it’s been fascinating watching his team emerge over the course of the season.
The highlight was the 3-3 game v Inter, one of those nights at Celtic Park where afterwards, sleep was fleeting and the adrenalin was still pumping the next day.
The regret was the so very few matches played on a Saturday with a regulation 3pm kick off. As a consequence of the Europa League adventure, the odd TV switch, and the arbitrary switching of 2 Saturday games to accommodate overseas friendly fixtures, I managed fewer than half of our home matches – I’ve coaching commitments on a Sunday afternoon.
Which brings me to my regret from yesterday: I had to sky the park after the trophy presentation to get up to East Kilbride for a 4pm kick off, this missing out on catching up with some dear CQNers over a beer or two.
Looking ahead to next season, I think most of us are optimistic that Ronny Deila is growing a team, within of course the constraints placed on us by our playing environment.
Nevertheless, while I would be surprised to see Jason Denayer back at Celtic Park, I expect Virgil will stay through until the Champions League issue is determined, and the scouting system has a happy habit of identifying players of the same calibre in similar positions – think Wanyama, Bitton, Virgil, Lustig, Ambrose, Forster in recent seasons.
From that perspective, I think we are considerably better off as a group than we were prior to Lenny chucking it, almost a year to the day – We have a committed and technical management team, a core of talented players, and some cash in the bank.
Of course, the latter – the cash – won’t be there in a year if the management and players fail to qualify for the Champions League in the summer, so no pressure Ronny.
No pressure at all.
4 in a row.
1969-04-21: Kilmarnock 2-2 Celtic, League Division 1This is a featured page
Match Pictures | Matches: 1968 – 1969 | 1968-69 Pictures
Trivia
John Hughes wasready to make his comeback from the ankle injury that had kept him out for three weeks, but only if the going was soft – conditions which Hughes revelled in.
A Monday night game played in a terrific gale.
Celtic win the league title! Two down one to go on the way to the treble! A last minute goal by Tommy Gemmell makes it 4 League titles in a row.
Celtic fans steal Kilmarnock’s 1965 league flag for the second time in three years. It was handed back again.
Celtic fans celebrate long into the night on the trip back to Glasgow.
Bobby Murdoch is named as Scotland’s footballer of the year.
Review
Kilmarnock won the toss and played with the wind in the first half. Morrison headed home a Tommy McLean cross on 8 minutes and Queen added a second on the half hour.
Celtic were two goals down at half time and were looking as though they would need a point at least in the last two games of the season to be assured of the Championship. That spurred the Bhoys on. They threw attack after attack at the Killie goal in the second half. Bobby Murdoch lodged a high ball into the goal area and it bounced off of Beattie’s napper and into the goal. Onward they pushed but as the minutes dragged away it looked as though it would have to wait. In extra time when Gemmell following up saw the gap that gave Celtic a well earned draw and the Championship. Morton and Dundee would have to win by enormous scores to deny them the title.
Teams
Kilmarnock:
McLaughlin King Dickson Evans McGrory Beattie T McLean Queen Morrispn J McLean McIlroy
Scorers: Morrison 8 Queen 30
Celtic:
Fallon, Craig, Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeill, Clark, Johnstone, Callaghan (Lennox), Wallace, Chalmers , Hood.
Scorers: Beattie( OG 63), Gemmell (90)
Referee:
Attendance: 18,000
Articles
Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Match Pictures
Articles
1969 Killie 2-2 Celtic
st.anthony
st.anthony Latest page update: made by st.anthony , Apr 21 2015, 3:53 PM EDT (about this update – complete history)
Keyword tags: None
More Info: links to this page
http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/1969-04-21%3A+Kilmarnock+2-2+Celtic%2C+League+Division+1
Wooo hooooo First post from my new Lenovo tablet.
How does it work by the way :)
Burgas Hoops
13:57 on
25 May, 2015
Wooo hooooo First post from my new Lenovo tablet.
How does it work by the way :)
—————–
great machines ive got 3
modren Lenovo tablet is rubbish
Can’t copy and paste your name to reply saint stivs is that right?
ernie lynch .@ 11 43 .
I wasn’t aware of Art Garfunkel’s reading list .I am now .Thank you !.
Paul67.
I blame zonal marking.
Also, for the numpties who continually berate the 11 men back for a corner, insisting we should “leave 2 players up”. GIRUY.
Lastly, attack is the best form of defence. As is conceding free kicks in the opponents half.
Married life
Mrs S of T talking to a pal in Milan on the phone –
” He is well..Usually he has a nap in the afternoon but in the summer he watches cricket on tv..Guess it enables him to do 2 things at once “
Pip Archer has got the ole Daisy Dukes on.
DBBIA/AmbridgeCSC
John Collins and one of his friends sat in the row behind me on this morning’s Edinburgh to Nice flight. His pal was asking him lots of interesting questions about Celtic. However, due to Johns quiet, deep tone and the drone of the engines, I couldn’t make out any of the answers!
Never make a spy.
STAN AND STEFAN…
If a team leaves two up at a corner,and another two just behind,it leaves seven men in the box.
How many players does the attacking team have in the box if those four are adequately covered?
Off to the Brazen to fin. Off yesterday’s party, hail hail everyone,
Lurking Huns GIRFUYS
Stan & Stefan
I was one of those you refer to questioning our own 11 players in our own box at corners
this was under NFL reign, and I would still question it
Tactics under Ronny are different, so I can only assume you don’t go to games and watch what is taking place ?
If you want debate fine, but please don’t try to be derogatory with other Celtic fans and bring the blog down
We have already lost many very good posters through that type of attitude
Let’s celebrate where we are be 4 being faceciuos and better still on This special Lisbon Lion day
Hail Hail to all Tim :-)
See Murderwell have given Zombies 1500 tkts
Cue open “its a disgrace hibs only gave us 1500 and couldnt sell all
tickets for their end of the ground”
Wish someone would point out they gave Hibs 900
and crowd was 41,000 at play off game.
Stan and Stefan,
Totally neebs.
I’m one of the converted.
Defending corners is exactly that. Preventing a goal rather than the 50/1 chance of springing a breakaway.
Or so some numpty explained to me some time ago :))
HH
BMCUW
STAN AND STEFAN…
“If a team leaves two up at a corner,and another two just behind,it leaves seven men in the box.
How many players does the attacking team have in the box if those four are adequately covered?”
———————————-
BMCUW
Given 5 to cover adequately, 6 if it’s Sevco’s corner!
BEATBHOY
Nope.
Five to cover adequately as you say. Plus the keeper. Plus the corner taker.
Seven against four in the box,and we have the advantage of a keeper who can use his hands.
BMCuWP
My sums gives 4 against our 7 in our box, so just about 2 of our players to 1 of opposition, very decent odds of us winning the ball ?
I would prefer us leaving 2 with pace up near halfway line, giving us 9 in the box to potentially their 6 , still very good odds in our favour
But hey well done Celtic conceding only 5 in the league in half a season
Hail Hail ( back to work for me now )
Bit off topic i know but i clicked on a link a few moments ago and it’s this ISIS mob killing a guy with a bazooka !!!!
Totally barbaric and i feel physically sick now.
What’s the answer to these animals?
Nope. My mistake with the corner taker, but it’s 7 against 5 if it’s Sevco attacking!
For BMCUW that was!
Looking for some advice..
Thinking of getting Netflix for iPad but there are some bad reviews with software updates causing issues.
Can anyone advise further or suggest an alternative please?
Thanks in advance
P
Beatbhoy
Your not supposed to count the impartial ref :-)
Hail Hail
“What’s the answer to these animals?”
Burgas hoops,
No idea.
But in the meantime I’d avoid looking for gory websites.
HH
Cowiebhoy
I messed it up forgetting about the Zombie taking the corner!! Doh!
Burgas Hoops- suggest you ask Tony Blair.
Geordie Munro
Gory websites? it’s on Yahoo’s main front page ffs !!!!
Burgas,
Are you sure it’s not just an advert for boom beach?? :)
Tom/Geordie
As I believe I was the person who raised the issue at the time, I will respond to your posts.
The issue was raised at the time as, at that time, a Celtic employee had used the term Rangers, as another had previously used the term OF. I mentioned it as I believe that these terms are inaccurate and not ones that Celtic employees should be using.
Do you think that these terms are acceptable for Celtic employees (and, so, by extension, Celtic) to be using?
Or is it the timing to which you object?
If the former, generally, I think Celtic should have taken the lead on making changes three years ago in tryng to make the league fairer and more transparent.
In the past, we were accused of complaining when we lost … and our criticisms were dismissed as sour grapes, that sort of thing. We know that that wasn’t the case, but the circumstances made it too easy for many to dismiss them as such.
Now, we are in the drivers seat, and should show that we are still seeking the same changes, so, it is not sour grapes. We want a fair and transparent league, as much when we win it, as when we lose it. The thing is now Celtic is a much bigger fish in a diminished pond, so our impact should be and could be bigger.
Since the zombies were liquidated, we have been in the strongest position that we have ever been. We should have seized that.
I am concerned that the return of the OF language in Celtic’s media is a harbinger of what some of us have feared would be coming – the return of the OF.
If your objection is only timing, I would say that if the Club was seen to be doing something to address these issues otherwise, then I would agree yesterday should have been focused on the celebration. If not, however, (and so far there is no evidence of any effort by Celtic) celebrating a title in a corrupt league is putting lipstick on a pig. Unless and until the Club gives some indication that it is doing something, then I dont think there are too many wrong times to point out such problems. In fact, I believe it is incumbent on Celtic fans to raise these issues and seek changes (which we all can do in our own way).