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Has this squad hit the ceiling or can we control, pass and move better

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

You and I both knew before last night that Salzburg are well ahead of Celtic, so a 3-1 defeat away to the top seed surprised no one.  However, the game itself provided positive, as well as disappointing aspects.

Odsonne Eduard looked a handful when running at defences.  His goal and the chance he created a minute before the break typified this.  For all Salzburg’s ability, they looked weakest in defence.  We looked like we could put the ball in the net every time we got near then, which, admittedly, was seldom.

That aside, Eduard’s distribution was as poor as the rest of the teams’.  There were two distinct phases to the game: before Salzburg’s third goal and after.  After this point, the home team did not press nearly as forcefully, which allowed Celtic to find men with passes and retain possession.  This merely demonstrated how poorly we did so earlier in the game.

Prior to then, passing and movement lacked the confidence needed to play out from the back.  For example, Salzburg did not mark defenders in front of or at either side of the box when Craig Gordon took goal kicks in the first half.  Despite having three options for an easy pass, Craig kicked long the majority of the time – by definition into areas with fewer Celtic players, as we had three back at the penalty box.

The goalkeeper just didn’t fancy the consequences of passing to an unmarked defender – the story of the game in metaphor!

Dedryck Boyata was the outstanding Celtic player on the park.  He won everything in his vicinity and I even noticed him chasing down a ball he had himself headed clear, before others reacted.  But, on one occasion, when Craig chose to send a goal kick straight to him, he panicked, lost possession and conceded a chance in a dangerous area.  There was an easy pass back to the keeper.

You do not need to be Iniesta to work the ball out from the back.  You need to be able to control and pass, while everyone in the team needs the awareness to move into space, ensuring no one is boxed in.  This takes lots of practice and confidence.  We are correctly working towards this kind of football, but we’re not there yet, even in the SPFL.

The pertinent questions is, has this squad hit the ceiling or can we control, pass and move better?  I’m sure we can improve, although perhaps only by degrees.

I know what you were thinking every time Salzburg got a corner kick, “Here we go again” – or was that just me?  Instead, we defended set-pieces well; in fact, it was the home team who conceded the two best chances of any type before the interval.

James Forrest tucked in well on the right.  He got unfortunate with the bounce at the penalty, which was correctly awarded.  No complaints at the red card either, although I could squabble that Dabbur, who was already cautioned, should have received a second yellow on the two occasions he displayed a Tshirt message after his goals, if the referee followed his guidelines correctly.  Pedants CSC.

The football business is all about the next game and right now there is nothing on the horizon more than St Johnstone on Sunday.  Lick your wounds and get a result, Celtic.

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  4. ruggygman on

    There are 2 scenarios re: tomorrow

     

     

    The ideal scenario, and

     

    The realistic scenario

     

     

    Ideal scenario… we go there, everything clicks into gear. We win 4-0, and everyone gets a lift.

     

     

    Realistic scenario…. we go there and make hard work of things. Struggle between a draw or a slender 1 goal victory.

  8. david17 on

    WHAT IS THE STARS on 6TH OCTOBER 2018 8:35 PM

     

    Any here hoping for a Rangers win tomorrow???

     

     

    ———

     

     

    They were liquidated mate.

  10. big packy 1 on

    bada bing, one quote from norman Vincent peale, of the protestant ministerial association, the pope would be giving orders to a kennedy administration, that was what he was up against.hh.

  13. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    WHAT IS THE STARS on 6TH OCTOBER 2018 8:35 PM

     

    Any here hoping for a Rangers win tomorrow???

     

    ========================================================

     

     

    YES.

     

     

    Head before heart .

     

     

    Pragmatsm csc.

  14. !!Bada Bing!! on

    Sorry Bhoys, texting and drinking….Ruby and LHO were stooges IMO,the agendas are fascinating and endless, FBI,Mafia….remember JFK was very open to equality for blacks ,so KKK under protection….? But if you look at Ruvy shooting Oswald,it is like a movie scene….

  18. Billy Bhoy on

    I’m sure you’ll all have the same reaction as me to this quote by auld torn face:

     

     

    Former Hearts manager Jim Jefferies has claimed that Celtic and Rangers are not the teams that they used to be.

     

     

    50% right!

  19. Almore on

    BSR: breithlá sona duit.

     

     

    TET: Fàilte Ar ais.

     

     

    Anybody know when tickets for the league cup semi go on sale?

  20. Gerryfaethebrig on

    WITS

     

     

    Steven Gerarrds “Rangers” are a point behind the current champions and Hearts are 6pts ahead of the current champions, who would you like to win ?

     

     

    I will be happy enough if the current champions win :-)

  22. big packy 1 on

    bada bing, don’t think we will ever no the truth, but id put my house on it, that there was a shooter on the grassy Knowle.hh.

  23. Avon Barksdale on

    Roy C, you don’t happen to know who sang the original version of Tainted Love do you?

  27. !!Bada Bing!! on

    DAVID17 on 6TH OCTOBER 2018 8:37 PM

     

    WHAT IS THE STARS on 6TH OCTOBER 2018 8:35 PM

     

     

     

     

    Any here hoping for a Rangers win tomorrow???

     

     

     

     

     

     

    ———

     

     

     

     

     

     

    They were liquidated mate.

     

     

    Made me laugh

  29. ruggygman on

    Can we see a fresh face at right back tomorrow please.

     

     

    Can we also work with Boyata and Benckovic at centre half please. Irrespective that neither will be here long term.

     

     

    Can we start Morgan please.

     

     

    And lastly…Edouard or Griffiths. Or both. Anyway can we give both a boot up the jacksy.

     

     

    And before i forget…. can we just register a convincing win… please.

     

     

    Thank you

  32. Timbhoy2 on

    Celtic do good ,ie Charity help for people who are struggling with life,all over the World, that’s fine with me,and please folks don’t take this wrong way,Is not time Celtic Football Club,began to think of the thousands of fans who plough in there hard earned cash ,to see better players coming to the club,but alas the past Season and a half,it’s ordinary players we are signing,and the proofs in the pudding,of what we have been watching lately, Brendan Rodgers won’t get quality players in next January,it will be if any a couple of loans,so I say you know what Lawell and co, don’t treat us all charity cases,bring something positive to the Club,if not resign,and take the real culprit Desmond with you, because for me he has been an absolute disaster for the Club,and that’s thanks to Fergus McCann,who recommend him to take over ,

  37. Delaneys Dunky on

    JTT53

     

    Hope you had a nice 65th birthday.

     

    I love the number 65.

     

    The year I was born.

     

    YNWA

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