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
- 8
- 9
- ...
- 21
- »
bournesouprecipe
16:44 on
25 May, 2015
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.
As I have posted on a number of occasions, The root cause of THEIR demise was taking place in Lisbon forty eight years ago today.
Driven by hatred and jealously the broke the bank to emulate what Big Billy described as a dream come true. And you can only dream dreams. Never buy or cheat your way to them.
Almost 2 years to the day since Alex Neil was appointed manager of Hamilton, he leads Norwich to the EPL after less than 6 months in charge, and prepares to pit his wits against the likes of Mourinho, Wenger, Van Gaal et al.
Meteoric.
Take a boo, son!
Beatbhoy @1654
Plus 1 neebs.
HH
quonno
Not going to disagree with that either, today of all days
Hail Hail
Congratulations to Alex Neil &this Norwich team.HH.
Bourne
I don’t think we’ll see him in the Hoops again though I’d love to be wrong.
I think Ronny’s hope is to keep VVD at least until after the CL qualifiers and hope that he can get a suitable replacement for Denayer possibly on loan from Man City.
bournesouprecipe
16:55 on
25 May, 2015
quonno
Not going to disagree with that either, today of all days
Hail Hail
Forty eight years later it still feels as good.
PFAYR
I’m grand.
I hope you and yours are well.
(:-)
TT
Four in a row day
Well done to Norwich and Alex Francis Neil.
jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/
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!!
____________________________
The news i watch is not the same news you watch jude, as far as i’m aware ISIS had already infiltrated Ramadi and Khalidiya and then you have to factor in that Iraq’s military had no guts for a fight whatsoever.
dallas dallas.
Cassano is currently without a club. He walked away from his contract with Parma when they were unable to pay his wages. He was also involved in an on the pitch confrontation with some Parma Ultras.He was then linked with Sampdoria but Sampdoria stated they couldn’t / wouldn’t meet his wage demands.
In other words a “failure of leadership and tactics” by the Iraqi security forces was partly to blame for the territorial loss.
well bhoys 48 years ago today just about this time the game kicked off.
after dancing about STEVE CHALMER’S garden in lamont rd balornock I asked my wife to marry me.well that’s the story and we are sticking to it.
wee prayer for all those no longer with us who kept the club going through the lean years.
MON THE HOOPS ……..away to get pissed………..sure it’s a gra…………..
canamalar
16:09 on 25 May, 2015
===========================
In respect of Adam M I agree with every word you wrote. I hope we offer new terms and an extension… He will be worth lots in the near future!
HH
Bourne and Quonno, I would love to know what hold Dodgy Dave the first has over the media.
A caller on SSB few years ago told a story of a guy he knew in the press who did an interview with Scotland’s greatest ever business man.
The first thing Murray did was show the reporter a file with certain indiscrepancies the paper guy had been involved in. If its true, could this explain the easy ride Murray gets.
He also forced the Herald to get rid of business journalist, Alf Young, who had questioned Murray’s business acumen and practices.
Murray not only destroyed the first club to play out of Ibrox but was close to bringing our game to its knees also.
In the Asterisk Years, Paul Larkin explains we were in a better financial position than the Ibrox club when the Bank of Scotland tried to pull the plug on us. Hard to believe but true.
Delia rewards Alex with the keys to a luxurious new home in Letsby Avenue.
quonno
I had just got home from a day playing football in St Augustine’s pitches in Milton.
My dad did not normally get home until about 18.00 but special arrangements had been made so that he could get home in time for 17.30 kick-off.
Mum and Gran were banished to the kitchen .
Watched the game, the first full Celtic game I had ever seen, on a small Bush TV.
My parents were strict in not letting me have a lot of sugary soft drinks but we had a bottle of Hendry’s lemonade and a bottle of lime. Closest to green and white as possible.
Never saw my dad as happy as that day. He kept saying “we were the first. No one can ever take that away from us”
Like so many on here, I think about him especially on big occasions at Celtic Park. Just standing in front of the Celtic Way I would just love our predecessors to see how Paradise has developed.
Remember Lisbon better than yesterday’s game.
Burgas Hoops
17:03 on
25 May, 2015
In other words a “failure of leadership and tactics” by the Iraqi security forces was partly to blame for the territorial loss.
Here am I having been trying to be all sweetness and light on Lisbon Day.
SS Lincoln May 3rd 2003.
Hooper, no thanks, didnt want to know for the last 6 months at Celtic. Although he has had a bad injury this season I would be asking about the availibility of Snodgrass now that Hull have been relegated
I love being able to continue to attend matches with my dad
My uncles where the ones who took me in my younger years
One of them my uncle Frank no longer with us
He would have loved yesterday
Burgas Hoops
17:03 on
25 May, 2015
In other words a “failure of leadership and tactics” by the Iraqi security forces was partly to blame for the territorial loss.
Correction to previous post.
Here am I having been trying to be all sweetness and light on Lisbon Day.
SS Lincoln May 3rd 2003.
Some Joker called Bush proclaiming MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
The same Joker who had previously told the gullible that the US led Coalition of the Willing’s invasion of Iraq would see that liberated country become a BEACON OF DEMOCRACY in the Middle East.
quonno
Your right please accept my apology, i’ve got a scarf from Lisbon (the silk one with the tassels) gifted to me from my late da’s brother.
blantyretim is praying for the Knox family
17:11 on
25 May, 2015
I love being able to continue to attend matches with my dad
My uncles where the ones who took me in my younger years
One of them my uncle Frank no longer with us
He would have loved yesterday
Understand how you feel.
All these years on and I still regret that my father and my mother’s brothers all died before Lisbon.
Well that’s Alex Neill a million pound richer – personally
Charles kickham
He deserve it.:0)
The picture of Big Billy leading out the team in Lisbon still looks great to this day.
The Celtic strip has never looked better tan than in the heat of Lisbon. The Inter strip looked dull and miserable just like their manager’s personality.
Some media people said Inter were without their top player, Suarez. They fail to mention we were without Joe ‘the goal’ McBride.
My first ever trip to Celtic Park for the Lions return.
I was only four but I have a vague memory of a huge crowd and the truck going round the track.
25/05/67
beatbhoy who is this Delia you speak of? H H Hebcelt
Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas
17:06 on
25 May, 2015
Bourne and Quonno, I would love to know what hold Dodgy Dave the first has over the media.
I think that it was easy for him to control them.
At least seventy five per cent of them were Huns who were desperate for him to succeed.
Interesting one about Alf Young.
Would love Gary Hooper back in our team. Won’t happen,of course.
Seems I offended some with my post at 14:10. It wasn’t meant as a go at those on here. It was meant at a those who sit behind me in 408. Of course, if you sit behind me in section 408 then it was meant for you.
But let me address the points raised by those on here…
——
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
14:19 on 25 May, 2015
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?
—-
The theory is good, but what happens in practice. A lot more space in the box and goals conceded at corners. The proof of 11 men back is in the stats. Both this year, last year and the year before. We just don’t concede at corners.
Leaving men up front isn’t going to improve that record.
==================
cowiebhoy
14:24 on 25 May, 2015
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 :-)
——–
Your assumption is wrong. I attend all home games and watch every game on TV available. Also, under my previous blog name of supersutton you will have seen that I used to post the goals conceded stats for nearly a whole season. Mainly in an attempt to alter the perception about zonal marking. It just works better and no matter how much TV pundits try and denigrate it, the stats are there for all to see.
You may question the tactic, but do you know of any team who utilises your suggestion and concedes less goals at corners?
I don’t.
===============
Hebcelt
Don’t panic! Not disrespect for Ronny or anything.
After my Woolies gaff earlier, I’ll say,cautiously, that she’s the owner of newly promoted 20 minutes ago Norwich Citeh.
And she made a clown of herself on the pitch some years back when someone let her loose with a microphone rather than a recipe book.
A neighbour now of Young Managerial Superstar Alex Neil in ole Letsby Avenue, I believe.
Happy Lisbon Lions Day to everyone. Now I know there is a constant request for cash for charitable causes on this blog and the response never ceases to amaze me.
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
Hooper is a good striker. I would take him back. Selling our players for good money is ok but when you replace them with crap, you see a decline in standards.
I agree with tinytim. Our defence is nothing special. We are playing against rubbish every week.
5 goals conceded in 21 games is amazing. Two particular things to factor in this,
1, Virgil – simply outstanding
2, the 4-2-3-1 formation – we dominate the middle of the pitch (possession) which gives the defence great protection.
captain beefheart
17:38 on 25 May, 2015
Doooohhhh ….!!!!
Pleased for Norwich City,
Only because that was my school teams strip,
Happy Celticing