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!
779 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- ...
- 21
- »
Are you sure it’s not just an advert for boom beach?
Is that an app for android :)
Good luck to Alex Neil & his Norwich team.HH.
Re corners, when ICT are defending a corner against Celtic they only need 4 back as that gives them 10 hands (inc. the keeper) to keep the ball out with.
A wee bit of useless trivia on this the 48th anniversary. The strip Big Billy is wearing while hoisting the Big Cup looks a wee bit tight. That’s because it isnae his. His own was lost on the way tae the dressing room so he lifted the first one he saw on the way tae the podium. Who did that belong tae.
In my opinion the solution to ISIS needs to come from the Arabs themselves. There’s been enough misguided “Western” intervention into this region without accomplishing much – apart from spending tons of money and costing countless Western lives.
You’d think the West would have learned by now that Islamic regions need a strong dictator in place to keep the peace by the rule of violence.
Burgas,
Aye. Don’t play it….it’ll take over yer life. :)
frannyb67
Reckon they will need it.
Watched the last game between the 2 of them at Carrow Road(do they still play there?!) and Middlesborough really stifled the game and were worthy winners.
Burgas Hoops
Correct. Western models are alien to the customs, culture and social structure of these countries. We are now seeing what results from a vacuum being left in the wake of Western intervention.
After the play off theres Lazio v Roma at 5ish as well for any of you lucky enough to be off today.
Pretty much a winner takes all game for automatic entry to the champs league.
Mike in Toronto
As I posted a bit later, they don’t even call themselves Rangers.
On its official website, Rangers International Football Club Plc describes itself as ‘the holding company of The Rangers Football Club Ltd’.
So Celtic should just use what they themselves use, a definite article that distinguishes Rangers(1872-2012) from The Rangers(2012- ).
And an easy answer to any SMSM accusations of ‘stirring it up/ kicking them while they’re down’ nonsense.
Hail Hail!
“Do you think that these terms are acceptable for Celtic employees (and, so, by extension, Celtic) to be using?”
Mike,
The term ‘rangers’….perfectly acceptable in my opinion.
The term ‘old firm’…. I’d rather they didn’t. I don’t use it myself but if they do I’ll lose no sleep.
HH
Thunder road
It’s still carrow road :0)
This could possibly be picked up as a tad controversial but it’s my opinion:
Leave the head-choppers until the Arabs get sick of them and remove them. In the meantime, SEAL ALL borders in every western country to ANY Islamic person, and that means NO MUSLIM IMMIGRATION into any Western country (which wants to survive).
I’m sure Sweden is still blissfully happy with their new cultural enricher’s.
I remember Barca left 3 up when we had a corner at CP,Etoo,Saviola and Ronaldinho….
In the interview I heard Stevie Frail called it the Glasgow derby, I didn’t hear anyone say old firm, he did call them rangers but I’m not sure what he was supposed to call them as I don’t think he would have gotten away with huns, monkeys or zombies…..
Burgas,
Problem is that the Islamist lunatics are in Europe. Shamefully, they are even indulged by some of our politicians.
Prior to Blair though, the maniacs were loving towards Jews, women, gays etc.
‘SEAL ALL borders in every western country to ANY Islamic person’
-if you’ve got tickets to see the great Richard Thompson [honorary Shangri-legian] you’ll be a tad miffed at that suggestion.
Sad to say but I split up with the love of my life three years or so past.
Remember preparing to fly back to S.E. Asia when a good friend (whose bro posts on here) knowing my situation, suggested that of I would skip going tp Dingwall and instead opted for a week in the Algarve, he would drive me down to Heathrow on our return as he was due in London town about then, in any case.
I readily agreed and made plans including a few see you whenever type cheerios.
On the way down to Heathrow, we stopped at a service stipn midway and scoffed some KFC in the car….. Then my good friend asked me, WTF TBM, everyone that knows you thought that you would be together forever, the two of you were made for each other, is there somebody else involved???
Good friends can and do and even should ask the direct but hard to answer questions… My response was as measured as I could manage, given that it was quite an emotional time and I was flying out the next day.
Naw pal, nothing like that but the trust isn’t there anymore.
He then asked if there was anything he could do to help, and maybe even create a path back to where things were really reciprocally great…
Naw, we’ll see says me, I’ve tried to understand the shift away and even turned up at the door hoping things will be the way that they were. Not to be but hey rest assured the weans and grandweans are still encouraged to visit and drink in the love that I used to imbibe and look forward to my return in my globetrotting days.
So says my good friend (who is also going through a difficult emotional experience), any message, next time I see your heart’s desire?
Aye, Hail Hail and thanks for the great times like winning 5-4 at East End Park in the mid sixties. That was an experience…
Other than that, a place is kept in my heart for all of the Celtic family.
Forgive the typos, spelling, grammar, ‘license’ eh!
On my not so smart phone!
Regards & Hail Hail
TBM
“As I posted a bit later, they don’t even call themselves Rangers.”
Beatbhoy,
This is true but do we have to call every team by their full name all of the time or debate and offence will quickly ensue??
in fact, Are we not The Celtic football club?
Captain Beefheart
15:08
Problem is that the Islamist lunatics are in Europe.
______________________
Every western country have allowed Muslim sleeper cells into their countries.
It’s only a matter of time before you feel their peaceful love.
Conned by their own leaders, lustily drinking the multi cultural koolaid.
Bada,
That is when I’d make an exception to the rule.
When there is a clear height advantage to the attacking team.
HH
Beatbhoy … Thanks for that. I think you posted something similar yesterday, and I meant to say cheers then, but yesterday got a bit crazy so didn’t get a chance. Cheers!
Geordie
As Beatbhoy says, it is wrong, and and George Orwell (Beatbhoy… I hope you dont mind being put in the same camp as him!) has said, “if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.”
We keep letting them and their press use incorrect terms which give the wrong information, and then we wonder why so many ‘neutrals’ in Scotland dont understand the problems. Now, if we start using them, the lie will almost certainly become the truth.
Mon the Norwich
Dontbrattbakkinanger
Look up religious intolerance in muslim countries to see where the problem is.
I live in one for 6 months of the year normally, so i hope i’ve got a decent insight into all this stuff.
Nae wonder i never get a coupon up.
Our defensive record domestically may well set or equal a record.
By contrast our defensive record in Europe, is the worst I can remember in recent history, and the stats show no real progress as the season evolved.
Personally, i would prefer winning league next year, plus being in last 16 of CL , before a treble….being really greedy, I would want both !
My real worry is if we lose Jason, and either Broony or Craig G picked up a pre-season hard surface injury.
In most other parts of the team we are well covered, or can shuffle, but losing two out of Broony , Vigil, Jason and Craig, would be a real blow
Go on Norwich
2-0 NORWICH….
Blistering start
Ffs!!!
Goan the canaries.
Great start.
Mon the Boro
(Couple of shillings in Norwich with both teams scoring at 5/1)
I disagree with your immigration point Burgas but the system is certainly a mess. That said, we produce our home grown maniacs now.
is hoopslegend Gary Hooper in the startin’ XI?
“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”
Paul67
Can you as PL if we can adopt the Barcelona system. Here’s hoping.
Miss Prestonpans used a supporters bus from Ayr yesterday and managed to nearly spend £100 in some Ayr pub. I take my hat off to her…….
Plus Gary Hooper not getting a sniff in the championship so I’f the canaries go up wee Gary might fancy pulling the hoops on again
I live in hope
Apologize for the political rants btw.
Normally i just talk Celtic :)
dontbrattbakkinanger
Hooper on the bench
DBBIA
On the bench