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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Things you won’t read, or hear in SMSM
Celtic conceded 17 league goals. The best defensive record since 1919.
Tinytim,
Don’t agree on Matthews, he was pretty good against Messi no so long ago, his injuries have been lots of little niggling ones, not single a major career threatening problem that will cause mental issues with confidence, he has improved gradually with each game he’s played since coming back however his development has stalled and that is what he needs to get back on track, he is 23 plenty time. He was being touted as a replacement for Brown no long ago, the bhoy is a very good football player and has already proven himself against the best, like everyone else he needs an injury free run and IMO will be an excellent player for us for quite a few more years to come which I expect BT don’t like we will cash in on.
Have we not supposedly signed Wilson from Hearts… ?
Bonjour Bhoys n’ Ghirls.
No been on for way too long. A lot to do with the fact that I’ve shifted the ‘skorries lock, stock n’ barrel to Paris these days.
Anyway, (as you do) I was recently going thru some old files and found this, which (I think) I cribbed from here many moons ago. So appropriate on this fine day.
Enjoy.
………Once upon a time. Many years ago, in the blistering heat and altitude of a far of foreign land, a football team attempted to carry out the simple yet detailed tactics that had been set out for them by their manager.
This team faced a team from Italy which was full of stars, and in particular was pushed on and cajoled by a recognised footballing wizard in Sandro Mazzola! Yet the Italian team was not a free flowing football outfit– instead it was a controlling beast which seeked to snuff out the attacking flair of the opponent. This, despite the fact that when they choose to, the Italians were capable of great flair and skill in attack themselves!
However, the team facing the Italians had no fear of such tactics. They were not in any way apprehensive, because they knew! They knew they had the skill and personnel to beat the Italian system– and besides their manager had told them precisely how to win the match.
” We will win this in the second half” he told his team.
” We will wait until after the break and we will subtly change our tactics.”
He pointed to his midfield players and told them.
” In the first half, I want you to hold back, don’t come over the half way line too often and play as sitting midfielders! But in the second half, I want you to come forward, pass the ball in and around their half, run into positions and make their defenders turn just to see where you have gone. Don’t cross the ball into the penaty area, just play to feet and let those coming up from behind do the attacking.”
He pointed to his strikers–
“I want you to play outside the penalty box, drag their defenders out, create space for others to run into and keep the defenders moving and turning with their backs to the ball! Play at a high pace in the second half and they will not see where the attacks come from, they will have to turn rather than man mark, they will lose shape, and we will score! Once we score their heads will go down and they will know they are beaten!”
And how this tactic worked!
Particularly on the occasion when the ball was collected deep in their own half. Amazingly one of the team jinked and dribbled and beat 5 players and then the ball was– passed– passed– passed– with defenders turning and chasing shadows, not knowing who it was going to next.
The move culminated with the ball suddenly being switched to an attacking fullback– yes– an attacking fullback– who appeared as if from nowhere and rifled the ball into the back of the net for a goal that was surely one of the greatest in the finals of this tournaments history!
The Italians knew they were beaten– they had no answer to these players and their tactics!
Later, the manager was asked about THAT goal and about those tactics!
With a rueful smile, he faced the world’s press and simply said that he knew they would score a goal like that! He knew that his tactics would prevail against this type of team!
The Name of the manager concerned? Mario Zagallo.
The scoring fullback? Carlos Alberto.
The game? The final of the 1970 World Cup.
The team? The legendary 1970 Brasil side.
The goal was later declared the greatest in the history of the world cup, if not all time.
Legend says that Zagallo was asked where the move that lead to THAT goal started his reply was…?
……did you no see Big Tam Gemmell’s goal in Lisbon 3 yrs ago?
ernie lynch
12:35 on
25 May, 2015
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
12:18 on 25 May, 2015
‘ERNIE LYNCH
Good Art Garfinkel interview in the Telegraph today.’
##
I saw it yesterday, that’s what lead me to his library list.
I think it’s fair to say that he’s got issues.
OCD, Aspergers, Narcissistic Personality Disorder and all stops in between would be my guess.
********************************************
Oops! Initially read this as Ernie’s self-analysis (he’s qualified I’m sure).
Just kidding Ernie. :-)
South of Tunis, I was in the Talkin’ Baws website last night.
I scrolled through it and noticed a headline about the much travelled, Cassano.
It read Juventus have tried to sign me four times followed by a quote. Juventus have a beautiful pu**y but it doesn’t make me horny.
A different way of putting things but very funny.
FORMER Rangers chairman Sir David Murray has hit out at Dave King over the South African businessman’s bid to claw back £20m he invested in the Ibrox club 14 years ago.
King, a former director at Ibrox, is third on the list of biggest unsecured creditors of the club’s liquidated operating company RFC 2012 plc and is in line for a £3m payout.
But he intends to continue a legal challenge against Murray over his £20m investment in 2000. It comes amid allegations the South African has made of non-disclosure by Sir David Murray of the club’s true financial position at that time.
At the time of his investment a new share issue had been made to strengthen the playing squad and youth system at Ibrox. Some of the cash was used to lower the club’s then £40m debt.
But Murray has moved to rubbish King’s claims of non-disclosure and said today: “There’s no foundation at all to it whatsoever, there’s been no financial information held from him.”
The former Ibrox supremo continued: “In all the times he was a director and I was chairman he had every opportunity to participate in regular board meetings and when he wasn’t there he could have phoned in.
“He had the chance to approve annual audited accounts. He received the board papers always in South Africa and he had all the detailed financial commercial information.
“He had every opportunity to either attend the board meetings or phone in with any questions. On not one occasion did he ever question anything.
“In the period of time I was chairman there would have been 32 or 33 board meetings, all minuted, all detailed – and not one note of complaint.”
Oh can I have my money back, money back, money back money back please CSC
Mike in Toronto
You’re exactly right in stating why it’s important to resist the Big Lie.
The Supporters’ Statement in the Sunday Herald demolished it beyond repair, as the lack of any counter-argument has since shown.
The Continuation Myth is vital to Sevco as a business, so you’d think writs and injunctions would’ve been flying about everywhere.
The fact that they weren’t tells us all we need to know.
Hail! Hail!
Foghorn leghorn
Agree.Pointed out that Oldco were seen as being culturally important to Scotland and Europe by the establishment Asked if the same courtesy would be afforded to a small business in the same position.
Memorial Day here in the US, or as I like to call it: Brainwashed Day.
Lots of fanfare, tinsel and propaganda repeated ad nauseam where we are told “freedom is not free” and other such catchy nuggets.
As to the earlier points made over the undesirability of our Middle Eastern citizens, it really is amazing how easily the lies are swallowed from the gutter media.
Here in the US, the Muslim community numbers some 10 million. The population of the country now stands in total at well over 300 million. Guess what minority donates of their personal resources the most to support the poor and vulnerable? You guessed it, and it ain’t the holier than holy Christian folk.
Rioskorrie- welcome back.
You’ve missed nothin’, by the way…
Staffs ladies win by 6 wickets
Cricketquickmews
Bourne, Ibrox now the home of the Dupers.
Dodgy Dave the first dupes Dodgy Dave the second then Dodgy Dave the first gets duped by a well known duper from Motherwell who had even more imaginary billions than Dodgy Dave the first.
Burgas Hoops
There was an expert on Iraq and that area on the the BBC breakfast prog last week and he said he could not understand why we waited till the I S traveled into these cities they now hold. We should have attacked them while they were in the desert where they were for 2 days Now we are bombing these cities and innocent people are being killed!!
Dallas
A parcel of glib shameless liars.
The duplicity of it all CSC
Bourne
Denayer is definitely going back to Man City and will be doing his pre season there. It remains a possibility that he or another could make the journey up the M6/M74 from Manchester after this though.
dallas dallas @ 16 12.
Saw that interview on a tv prog last week. Cassano could have been a trulygreat player but seemed to lack the necessary self discipline..Famously described by Jose Mourinho as being ” more crazy than Gazza “
Bourne, ha ha.
An Ibrox of dupers.
Paul Larkin’s Asterisk Years film explains a lot about Dodgy Dave the first’s economy with truth.
Dodgy Dave the first is a loathsome individual.
rioskorrie
16:09 on 25 May, 2015
Thanks. That’s a great post.
HT
Dedryck Boyata another Belgian defender?
We seem to have a good relationship with Man City. I hope that comes off, I really do.
Bourne, saw a guy going into the game yesterday who had a remarkable resemblance to David Cunningham King. It was spooky seeing a Celtic fan who looked so much like a dignified, respected and law abiding man like King.
Norwich sub a striker and Hooper still can’t get a game.He wouldn’t make it with RD’s fitness regime IMO,as i said getting £4.5/5 mil for him was great business.
Norwich sub their lone striker ….not with Hooper
He seems some way out the picture there
Bada bing
Hooper on his game is a great striker
I still saviour his destruction of Diddy David Weir
Not sure he’s been on his game for a while tho
Bourne
Apparently Man City have 4 central defenders they’d be looking to plan out. Fingers crossed.
*loan out*
Time for Gary to swap Delia for Deila.
…maks sense tae me, and it maks sense tae Mo
Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas
16:22 on
25 May, 2015
Bourne, Ibrox now the home of the Dupers.
Dodgy Dave the first dupes Dodgy Dave the second then Dodgy Dave the first gets duped by a well known duper from Motherwell who had even more imaginary billions than Dodgy Dave the first.
Is it just me or did DK repeat the CG line about healthy balance sheets?
Is there anyone who cannot remember what they were doing at this time forty eight years ago today?
Hamiltontim – Was looking out for you yesterday to sign your petition but couldn’t find you, where were you standing ?
DK said that FC Sevconia were the most financially sound team ‘in world football’.
Dallas
Totally agree.
Moonbeams is the root fundamental cause of the demise of Rainjurs, and it’s an unspeakable truth in Scotland, where he remains a protected species despite the subsequent crash of most of MIH.
SMSM continue to play a pivotal role because they lie and ‘cover up’, they have gone straight down the same road with Sevco and whoever is in charge.
What could possibly go wrong? CSC
Dontbrattbakkinanger
16:40 on
25 May, 2015
Time for Gary to swap Delia for Deila.
…maks sense tae me, and it maks sense tae Mo
At the end of the day would he be any more profitable than LG?
I doubt it.
South of Tunis, I remember when Channel 4 had their Serie A coverage, watching the game Cassano made his debut for Bari when he was a teenager. There were high expectations of him.
I have lost track of how many clubs he has played for and who his current club is.
He appeared to be settled at AC Milan before they got shot of him.
Cassano certainly has issues he can’t control.
pfayr-in Hooper’s last 18 months,his attitude and workrate was questionable,outwith Transfer Windows……
west end of east end
I positioned myself outside the Superstore mate. Captive audience and all that.
Dontbrattbakkinanger
16:43 on
25 May, 2015
DK said that FC Sevconia were the most financially sound team ‘in world football’.
Anyone can be financially sound if you habitually slope the pack man.
Every time one of THEM talks money, simply mention the unpaid creditors.
It works wonders with THEIR honour and dignity.
HT
The thing is, Jason Denayer has never played an EPL game for MC, and even if we could keep him till January?
They don’t need him, maybe Jason caught Celticitis especially after a day like yesterday.