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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hands,
i jumped in too quick, i can see the sarcasm now, ha.
anyways, john mcginn is rubbish , and wouldnt have done anything in a celtic shirt.
@ SAINT STIVS on 6TH OCTOBER 2018 1:00 PM
Yeah the John McGinn was rubbish and wouldn’t contribute argument was another doozy.
Of course, when the argument was made it completely discounted: the number of games we play a season (60 odd of late) and the prospect of: injuries, suspensions and loss of form.
So far this season:
-Rogic and Brown have both missed games through injury;
-Ntcham has been suspended; and
-McGregor has lost form.
We are barely into October. But yet John McGinn would not have contributed.
Happy Birthday to Britt Ekland and Gerry Adams, who share their birthday with our very own superstar Mr. bournesouperecipe.
Have a great day
HH
JIMTHETIM53 on 6TH OCTOBER 2018 12:35 P
I will never forget or appreciate greatly Brendan’s first season and to a lesser degree his second. But he is burnt out. Time to move on.
===================================
You’ll never forget or appreciate Brendan’s double treble, Oh really ? You just did and in the length of 3 sentences.
THEE
THEHANDSCANTHITWHATTHEEYESCANTSEE1258
Our main problems,IMO,are that we have too many players injured-allegedly,because I think most of them are at it!-and too many players who-if NTV hadn’t pulled the idea-would have filled their THEY EMBARRASSED THE HOOPS articles for years to come.
I got the first reply on e-Tims yesterday. My take on it is there,it would get deleted on here.
http://etims.net/?p=13492
https://stv.tv/news/west-central/1431640-body-found-in-clyde-believed-to-be-missing-24-year-old/
RIGHT wee poll.
BRITT EKLAND …………………..v’s B.S R ‘s burd wi the ginger hair.
BSR
Lang may yer lum reek oul’ bhoy!
HH.
Fav U- Britt’s about 75 now…?
matt
great story.
No 7 Restaurant tonight for 3 and Stadium Tour tomorrow.
If I bump inot PL I’ll stick one on him.
That should sort things.
inot=into
Just read back a day or so and some really good posts.
TET, welcome back, you’ve bin missed!
FATHER JACK
Keep posting mate!
MATT
Just brilliant…….as usual.
MINT TOFFEE TREATS
Look after yourself!
YNWA
Right, I’ve bored you for long enough, off to Glesga!
Be good!
Finnbogason scores again in the Bundesliga.
HH. ?
when I was a 14 year old we were the kings of Europe, when anybody mentioned Glasgow celtic or celtic Glasgow people took notice, teams wanted to play us, remember watching jimmy johnstone ripping the proverbial out of real madrid, we were feared all over the world, now I know money rules the game now, but how can we come from beating Barcelona a few years ago to the state we are in now, cannot get my head around it . anyway happy birthday bournesouprecipe hh.
16 roads. on 6th October 2018 3:01 pm
Finnbogason scores again in the Bundesliga.
HH. ?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I was so determined not to buy Fifa19. It is so spooky.
1 week I lasted, to be fair, I was looking at the Product intently, EA really did screw Everyone with Fifa 18. I played wan game of Fifa 17 as I was checking out the storage capacity of the 500GB XBOX, and I said what a decent product – game was a bit too fast but it was alright.
Jamesie, I bought Fifa 19 yesterday and wan of the packs had an in-form Finnbogason. Fifa 19 is very good.
January…..
HH Legendary Celt.
Just a few musings after my trip to Salzburg
Leadership comes from the top and our board are old fogeys who have no real insight to modern business practices never mind a football club..I wonder how they are with modern technology..anyone seen the light show yet? We have a major shareholder who is absent most of the time..he can’t lead the club if he isn’t there. PL is an accountant who has done well for himself but has been there too long..we were well beaten by a club on Thursday who have a defined scouting structure and a strategy in place led by Red Bull whether you like them or not they are a blue chip company with innovative modern practices. Our scouting is abysmal..Congerton is a man who has left under a cloud from his last 3 clubs 2 of which were relegated..what does that say about the scouting. A lack of coaching shows up in Europe where players can’t control a ball or move into space to accept a pass. Changing the manager or a few signings won’t make a difference we need a change of culture one where we can learn from other teams and sports. That will take real change…sadly I can’t see it happening. Our strategy seems to be based on the ‘stay ahead of Sevco model. Look outward be innovative look at good practice. We have a World class support and a league 2 outlook. ???
Kikinthenakas
Well unless there is an incredible turn around in scores today, that’s Hibs top and Huns seventh. Although BBC must have a hun or hertz fan doing their live table, cause hertz still top?
Oops I’m taking rubbish, But Huns are 7th?
KIKINTHENAKAS
Join the growing groundswell of opinion.
Hope you had a great time in Salzburg,football aside. Long way to go for a damp squib,but the company always eases the reality.
PRESTONPANSBHOY
Were Hearts not five clear?
Ah,I see you noticed too,PPB.
Anyway,grab a six pack,put your feet up,be prepared to be really pissed off the further into this article you read.
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/oct/05/the-finance-curse-how-the-outsized-power-of-the-city-of-london-makes-britain-poorer
KIKINTHENAKAS on 6TH OCTOBER 2018 3:40 PM
Lot’s of bedwetting post’s on here since we got dumped out of the CL?,
you’ve nailed it with your post, we have to up our game at the top of the club.
if 10iar is the limit of our ambition then the star on our jersey means nothing.
Bmcw,
Yip I forgot they were hence my last note!
I remember watching a TV programme where two big hitters were at each others throats. In the end both realised they couldn’t win so hatched a plan to throw somebody else under the bus. What the Club could do is get rid of Congerton, as the sacrificial lamb (he’s rubbish anyway) and use that to draw a line under the recent problems. BR and PL could sit down thereafter and come up with a new way forward. Whether either of them are prepared and/or willing to do that is unfortunately I think unlikely. It will probably be one or the other and the one to leave will be BR.
Kikin
Hope you had a great time in Salzburg. My two mates did apart fae the performance by Celtic.
Great, honest post P, and sentiments which reflect my own feelings about our club just now. A wee bit scunnered.
YNWA
Good afternoon all from the laurieston bar. D D, you ok for Wednesday and a midweek sport special?
Bmcw @3:52
Close but no cigar, not a six pack but two four packs of my favorite girl stella artois. Interesting paper though sadly recall one similar from, would you believe, the 80’s. Was a left wing activist but can’t recall his/her name
BRRB
Sounds good sir.
See you Wednesday in that wee Kinning Park Oasis, The Stanley Bar. Sent a few Rapid Vienna fans there for a pre match swally on Thursday.
HH fae the Dalmuir Grateful Dead.
YNWA
Good lad. See you 5.15. Outta my brain on that train. ?
Nye Bevans’ rebel soldier on 6th October 2018 3:53 pm
KIKINTHENAKAS on 6TH OCTOBER 2018 3:40 PM
Lot’s of bedwetting post’s on here since we got dumped out of the CL?,
you’ve nailed it with your post, we have to up our game at the top of the club.
if 10iar is the limit of our ambition then the star on our jersey means nothing.
…………………………………………………………………………………
Brendan is up for it. He will show that without a shadow of a doubt.
January will expose so much.
Pathetic PLC
Most Celts cannae afford the Season Tickets.
KIKINTHENAKAS
Good post.
League 2 outlook ?
You’re been generous to those that run the club.
They maybe excellent at squeezing maximum profit out of businesses but sadly are clueless at football.
Lawell’s salary may be justified on profit but on the footballing department he is absolutely hopeless.
An overpaid chief executive and detrimental to the footballing team.
We will struggle to recover our football heritage if he continues much longer.
Shareholders RISE up.