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.
740 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- ...
- 20
- »
MACJAY
Good morning my fellow Antipodean.
Do you think big Jock would ask wee Jamesy to make a tackle?
H.H Mick
FATHER JACK, for what it’s worth, enjoy your posts , but totally agree about attacks on the newbies, hope you keep with it DD , thanks for your support last week, and last but not least , Kevj, you never waver my friend, spoke to your brother in law last week, a wee legend !! HH
Melbourne Mick, missing the sunshine already from the rebel peninsula. Although, to be fair, it was a lovely day here in Dundee and in Bridge of Earn also, visiting daughter and granddaughter. HH
Delaneys Dunky on 5th October 2018 11:03 pm
Petec
It’s Friday I’m in love!
The Cure CSC ?
YNWA
………………………………..
What a rocking Sonic.
Brendan has an Incredible Support.
Complacency by the Uppers.
Who cares it is Friday. I’m so LUCKY.
It will be very interesting to see what happens in January.
I’m finding the articles slanted. I know Nothing. But hearing Craig say what he said. :)))
Who’d be a goalie?
50 years ago
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/today-50-years-ago-the-troubles-began-1.3651930?mode=amp
FRIESDORFER
A gorgeous 25 degs expected this weekend, perfect Guinness
swilling weather.
PADDYMACOZ and our committee meeting up in the Grand and
as they do so well various charity’s will benefit as will the drink
company’s profits.
Glad to hear you are all well.
Need to go now and get my Celtic shirts out, now will it be the home
or away top?
H.H Mick
KEVJ, your post @ 10.15 , brilliant m8 HH , awaits incoming ??
Enough moaning whining boycott threatening sack the board,sack the manager, the players are all useless cowards, Rangers will win the league, the club will implode blah blah blah.
£49
We lost a game of football ..an away match..in Europe..against decent opposition …for 45 minutes we did well…no, not good enough, giving up my season ticket, never going to another game..
Calm Down
MELBOURNE MICK on 5TH OCTOBER 2018 11:22 PM
Good morning my fellow Antipodean.
Do you think big Jock would ask wee Jamesy to make a tackle?
H.H Mick
===============================================================
Spot on , Mick.
Wee Jamesey made a forward`s tackle .
I can just imagine Jock saying to him .
” OK , son. But not in the box , son. Not in the box .”
Which reminds me .
Where was Mikael ?
I looked in vain for him in the reruns .
Btw. I love Mikael because he loves us .
WHAT IS THE STARS on 5TH OCTOBER 2018 11:39 PM
What lost us the game is a repeat of what has made us every time, The defence …right back Lustig gets caught out, we cant string 3 passes together in midfied and our Goalkeeper launches balls to nobody and puts us under unnecessary pressure , We sold our outball which was dembelle , we know Griffiths cant play 1 up front or away from home yet its pretty much all we have… fans are putting money into a sinkhole in my eyes
Ignoring the corruption of no due process in the decision making, Murrayfield is great for us a huge park and we will pass them to death.
I have no access to any info about anything about Celtic.
KC undermined Ronny D, He’s starring on TV, Kris Kross
KC got Big Billy Boots when Neil built his Team around KC.
The question for Brendan ……….
Can he keep his head when all around are losing theirs and blaming it on him ?
Damn sure he can .
Made of sterner stuff.
Macjay
You old soup taking back of the bus loving forelock tugger
??
MACJAY1 FOR NEIL LENNON on 5TH OCTOBER 2018 11:56 PM
A very welcome post, I know you are one of Peters groupies, you choice, but this post is a welcome diversion from the norm for a groupie, all that needs to happen now is to get What Is The Stars in tow >)
Sorry bhoys for not commenting for a long time still lurking everyday though if my mental illness allows been this way for 32yrs take 12 tablets in the morning and 10 going to bed watching that match last night I think I will need more.What I am more peed off about though is this massive upsurge in hatred by the Sfa the corrupted refs the Police and the smsm everybody is getting their tuppence worth in all to aid the mighty Sevco in the quest to stop us from achieving the ten they have to do it this season because they are struggling with court cases and lack of money everything is in hock .Every 3pts we get will keep stoking their hatred towards us well bring it on the treble treble is coming home to rest at Paradise.
Wits i would rather back your tips than a Celtic away win ??
macjay1 for Neil Lennon on 5th October 2018 11:56 pm
The question for Brendan ……….
Can he keep his head when all around are losing theirs and blaming it on him ?
Damn sure he can .
Made of sterner stuff.
……………………………………………………………………………….
They are Trying EVERYTHING.
They hated Celtic Partying @ the Dark and not nice place to go to watch Football.
A draw will be an awesome result the way Dave King the Associate is.
The Reason we will Win the League, IMO, is because Brendan is calm.
Peter Lawwell has been in that job way too long – He has built a wee Empire.
MINT TOFFEE TREATS on 6TH OCTOBER 2018 12:09 AM
Post of the week >))
God bless Peter Lawwell. Keeping the green flag flying despite the malcontents begrudgers and naysayers
??????
WHAT IS THE STARS on 6TH OCTOBER 2018 12:07 AM
Macjay
You old soup taking back of the bus loving forelock tugger
————————————————————————————————-
Boaz , ya bas.
:-0
;)
:)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Father Jack thanks
FATHER JACK on 6TH OCTOBER 2018 12:07 AM
I spent my student days shirt fronting the unwashed .
Now its fellow Tims.
I just support Celtic , irrespective of which uninformed speculation is prevalent at any particular time.
We lost. The sky`s falling in .
Morning bhoys, I’m back, it will be no holds barred , had it with them who don’t agree with me, getting far to old to compromise.
Stars, you really need to get a grip, anyone will think you actually have something going on with our great leader.
As it happens, I didn’t flounce before, I wanted to but have failed, I tried hard to but failed again, I am a failure, I have lurked daily, end of, but at least I don’t suck up to Pedro :-)
tet
great to have you back.
Sleep well Timland
Good saying that btw.
TH
Thanks
HH
Exiled
Pedro won’t be pleased
He text after your flounce to say ” another one of the malcontents has left cqn, well done ”
My reply was ” Not sure boss, I think we haven’t seen the back of the cave man yet, you see Peter he is a St Pats fan, a strange bunch, bet you £50 He will be back ”
So Peter loses his 50.
Thats another player sold !!!
Modern take on a classic tune…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HAbs_PYfpvQ&list=RDHAbs_PYfpvQ&start_radio=1
HH
Funky wee tune…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5KG6sh0NB-U
TET welcome back
TET
We won’t believe it’s you till we see that swimming pool………..
;)
TET- HH
Just seen Gary Neville’s outstanding rant against the leadership at Man U, looking familiar close to home for me….
Good stuff
No Team has played more games than Celtic in the Time Brendan has been @ Celtic, I’d hazard a guess.
Only non Fitba people would think The Team can keep doing it.
Loadsamoney.CSC
I hope Celtic drop the Biggest Bomb @ the AGM.
Drop it
The Administrators in Scotland stink of Horse Manure.
Fade
them to Grey.
GLASGOW CELTIC