Brendan Rodgers offered up Callum McGregor’s absence as one reason Celtic were so poor yesterday. This fails to account for what, if anything, was an even worse performance against Newco at Ibrox in January, with Callum in his usual role.
The manager has worryingly misread yesterday’s capitulation. If he thinks Callum back in the team is going to move the dial when we travel across the city in May, he can expect a similar outcome to our last trip to Govan.
On Friday, we discussed:
“Celtic went to Ibrox [in January]with no learning whatsoever from [the League Cup]final. Philippe Clement, who was deep in job-losing form at the time, bossed the battle.
“This Newco team remain dangerous, they have the muscle memory from their last two games against Celtic and have a sense of grievance over the loss in December. Celtic will need be far better prepared than the last twice we faced them. We will be allowed lots of the ball but will be subject to synchronised presses.
“Newco will defend their box, play on the counter and largely live of misplaced passes as Celtic try to build.”
Celtic had 71% of the ball in the first half, but by the break were 0-2 down, and survived the Cerny chance, Barron’s shot that Kasper Schmeichel turned around the post and a second corner kick drama which could easily have ended in the net. The similarities with how our visit to Ibrox in January went are glaringly obvious.
A team which has lost four home games in a row have figured out that if you man-mark Celtic in the middle of the park, you can give them the ball, wait for a chance to run at them and they will be unable to cope. We have been alarmingly exposed.
That’s why we lost. That’s why we lost at Ibrox. That’s why the Hampden game went to penalties. Against a team who have been abject and sacked a manager during that period and had Barry Ferguson and Billy Dodds celebraing in front of us yesterday. Brendan is paid the big bucks to get this stuff right.
Tomorrow we’ll discuss Maik Nawrocki and some of the players who apparently flopped yesterday (spoiler: they are not flops).
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Broadsword calling Danny bhoy
I,m fuming ah am!
Oooohhhh what a surprise…………… all Brendan’s fault
Still sick.
Agreed, they were waiting for misplaced passes, but surely we are being pressed as much v Bayern as v Der Huns?
So many misplaced passes putting ourselves under pressure is stomach churning to watch.
I feel CCV is too quiet, not shouty enough to be captain material. There was definitely a lack of a strong voice on the field yesterday. Who brings leadership qualities when McGregor doesn’t play?
AN DÚN @ 9:15 AM,
Yes, agreed, my point wasn’t well made.
What I was talking about was the opening of the game, we were laughing at the commentator for saying it’s all R2ngers after less than two minutes.
Then saying R2ngers deserve the goal for all their pressure after four….
Nonsense of course, yet there was a point to it, we were very slow out the blocks and although, unlike Ibrox, our game picked up we were unlucky not to get one back before halftime.
In the second half we were the better side and like the manager said, at two – two we should never have lost that match.
Lots of fholk forgetting we beat them 3-0 the last time we played them at Celtic Park.
We beat them to win the League Cup at Hampden also.
So far they have bested us in 2025, but that record won’t remain.
CELTIC40ME @ 10:19 AM,
“So we played better with Nawrocki in the team instead of Scales….”
Well we can say several things about Rocki’s performance – but no way can you suggest that defence played better, I’ve rarely seen them play so bad…
Aff oot
Hail Hail
BSR,
To be fair on P67, if we have had similar performances with similar results over the last 3 games v them I can only think that it’s either –
We are very unlucky that so many players manage to have one of their worst games at the same time, or, they are set up to exploit our weaknesses – and we don’t counteract.
I’m struggling to believe it’s the first option.
Was Trusty injured? Earlier reports mentioned his wife going into Labour, now reading injury
Irrespective I’m not a fan.
As for Kuhn face tripping him since supposed Newcastle enquiry.
Last goal a slip then Johnstone lost the tackle which set up the scoring opportunity.
We had no edge perhaps sub conscious the 16 points was a hindrance,like the 13 points at Ibrox.
Pretty disappointing.
Aye they’re flops alright with the heart of mice, where was any dig any pushing shoving leaving a crunch in in a tackle, we look like a 5 a side team and play like one, you get what you deserve and that midfield is poor against any physicality , Mccowan i had hopes for but he hasn’t improved a bit from Dundee, Hatate can score a spectacular goal but what about 90 minutes of running winning tackles making it hard for the opposition, Engels is not suited to gritty football matches, Idah hasnt a clue where to be how to stretch a defence, and we double up in wide areas,and cough up the ball, I could tell you Kuhn was going to turn square every time, he’s back to what he was when he joined, looks scared, the defence was a disgrace Schmiechel looks fat, Johnson CCV Maik and Schluup all froze and made it simple for a forward line of Dessers supported by Cerny and Raskin even Diomande found acres in our box to score having lost Engels. This is poor preparation complacency written all over it never mind clapping they need home truths this league is still to be won , we are vulnerable when teams compete and the sieve at the back has returned, will Hearts sit in or take the game to us?
Maybe we’ve assembled a team that plays more winning football in a different way?
MAJESTIC HARTSON
It’s a hard life going for a treble, and being 13 clear.
Doubly so , when you have managerial leanings that set the agenda.
It’s the second of your options BTW but that doesn’t make it the managers fault.
Schmeichel – caught again with ball on the ground against good high pressing, forgettable for him.
Johnston – another of our better players, poor derby game from him, presses the panic button in defence. Couldn’t get going forward as he was too busy fire fighting at the back.
Carter-Vickers – suffered with his new partner for the day, uncomfortable when pressed coming out from the back, and as per was poor to invisible in the air.
Nawrocki – thrown in at the deep end having played zero football, did o.k. hopefully finds a good move.
Schlupp – a January window typical utility player (not great in any specific position) especially at Crystal Palace where he couldn’t find any. Jumps lower than wee Greg.
McCowan – tried manfully came up short and was swamped, dreaded cliche? “ looks Dundee class “
Engels – in a fight continued fight with Idah as Celtic cynics dream, crowd Jungle rousing motions were funny, ………from him.
Hatate – scored a good goal, but gives the ball away constantly and gets out muscled, too easily in big games.
Kuhn – noticeably flat since Munich, easily double banked his head often goes down hooked at half time (maybe the tabloids will calm down about his next big move).
Jota – at least broke free from his markers final pass or finish, wasn’t there.( always starts with straight hair, that ends up curly?)
Maeda – Celtic’s most consistent player, missed a good chance early wasted as a starting centre forward, where a Chris Sutton should partner him.
Idah – Brendan’s ‘cavalry’ in at half time to the most predictable starting three in living memory, often shows why we need to replace Kyogo.
Yang – bereft last throw of the dice, came too late.
With Adam Idah and Yang on the pitch, leaving youngsters on the bench it shows our lack of options in a big game. Paulo Bernardo’s injury another major factor, as he would normally have played ahead of McCowan. Captain was badly missed, and there is no heir apparent in midfield.
The Brendan way you get on board or you don’t, you pay your money you take your choice, jump ship if you like there’s always the waiting list, together with the unique bank balance. As Ange Postecoglu was, before Spurs a manager on the trophy trail, but losing to Belgian waffle and now EBT Barry with The EBT Sportscene Panel is the bitterest of pills, to swallow.
A gentle reminder that we created the better chances yesterday. While Paul has listed their chances in the first half – he’s refrained from doing likewise with us – we had the higher XG, comfortably so.
We should have at least drawn yesterday based on the chances.
Nothing Paul said before the match was especially insightful. By all means quote yourself back but everyone posting on here knew that – as did Brendan.
Brendan backed his players to beat the press and create. And while we struggled to play out – we did create chances. Lots of them.
CHAIRBHOY on 17TH MARCH 2025 12:12 PM
“Well we can say several things about Rocki’s performance – but no way can you suggest that defence played better, I’ve rarely seen them play so bad…”
I didn’t say they did. An Dun said the team was better than at Ibrox but Nawrocki was the problem yesterday, even though he played better than Scales at Ibrox and Trusty at Hampden.
The defence was terrible, Nawrocki was the best of them.
I did suggest that his lack of confidence probably contributed to the panic at the back, but that isnt on him, thats the fault of the manager for only giving him 30 minutes all season
As I posted yesterday,majority of those playing yesterday are homing in to a collection of medals courtesy of a treble.Some players did not perform to their best,mistakes and poor defending made an ordinary side victors.13 points ahead,one trophy secured another within reach is cause for celebration.Now…..if only AJ… had taken that chance.and buried it…..
Yesterday was on the manager. 4 times in 11 months we’ve conceded 3 goals to the huns. Inexcusable failure to adjust. Pathetic in fact because it’s wilful.
Also our squad is too light now. Look at our bench yesterday. Hopeless.
Finally, we have a midfield that is lightweight when facing the muscle of the hun. My granny tackles harder than McCowan. Only Bernardo knows how to tackle. We miss Matt really badly in that respect and it needs sorted in the summer.
We’ll get pumped again at Ibrox as Brendan casts around for excuses. It seems likely we’ll win a treble whilst losing 3 of the 4 derby games in the league. Will be 4 without a win and nowhere near good enough.
I also think an inverted Greg Taylor would have given us more options yesterday and he couldn’t have done much worse defensively
An Dún on 17th March 2025 12:22 pm
Some good points , and you’re right , we deserved to take something from the game . However , xG ‘s are all very well but nothing beats putting the ball in the net . It took us far too long to threaten or to cope with their press . from the kick off they launched the ball into our third and never left it until they had gone ahead .
An Dún (12:22pm) 👍
If you finance Tory chicanery at the highest levels of Celtic FC then you dimmy x 60,000 are responsible for the Tory Chav drip drip drip down!
Sir Rod the fraud “I love the Royal family, I hope they reign over us for hundreds of more years to come!” He actually said that live on BBC ffs!
Sir Rod the fraud again in 2019 “Thank you Boris Johnston for keeping the Corbynism trash out of 10 Downing Street!” He said that too!
Sir Rod the fraud has put the boot into the Green Brigade on several occasions as well!
The Martin Compston fraud “Scottish Independence must happen!” just as long as he can stay in America away oot the road of the inevitable disaster which would end up with 4 million scunnered raging Huns rounding up the woke dim Tims who agitated for the break up of a country which took their ancestors in as refugees away back in the day which leads to the conclusion that refugees cannot be trusted! Dim Timmy Idiots!
Wee Bawwy educated big baw heid Brendan and his expensively assembled team of questionables!
Wee Bawwy – Improvised – Adapted – Overcame – the seemingly impossible odds of his ragtag misfits kicking Celliks arses in their ain midden as well too.
Hmmmm.
Wee Bawwy, wee McCannzy, wee Doddzy, big Greegzy, showed that staunch can overcome tippy tappy one trick pony Rodgers and his shell shocked, eyes popping oot thur sockets in disbelief 11 players, who could not believe that Rodgers had asked his players to play the same way vs a team they had failed to overturn in the last 2 games. ffs!
Blame the trolls….booooo!
Schlupp or Taylor could have been moved into midfield to give us a bit more bite in there,too easily bullied again
Another puzzle for me is why , after we’d scored the equalizer and were well on top did we let the momentum fizzle out and drop the intensity which had them on the ropes ? Tiredness? lack of driving force leadership? Bizarrely taking Jota off when he was terrorising their tired defence?
We’ve seen it in many games , not just v the huns .
The lack of quality on our bench yesterday was there for all to see. Bonnar John Joe Kenny Turley are all wee lads and would have added nothing if they were called on. I am not a fan of Tony Ralston and I think AJ is without doubt the number one choice at right back, but if he can’t get called upon when AJ is so poor he should ask for a move. The manager obviously doesn’t rate him. He might not have made a difference but he would have no worse.
They scored from two set pieces: A corner kick and a bye kick.
Repeat: They scored from a bye kick! FFS!
That’s how badly we defended.
Our short passing was as bad as our defending, absolutely chronic.
What is the xG or xA of a bye kick?
I woke up this morning still pissed about the performance yesterday and how it affected my day and my interaction with folks yesterday. I was at boiling point, shouting at a stupid computer screen, kids walking past me trying not to be in earshot or eyesight of their maniacal father. Blaming this player and that player, and where is the passion and blah blah blah and so on and so forth, and then I realized what is happening in the real world. Storms reeking havoc across the south, more than 40 people killed, people being detained and deported while their American born children are waiting for life saving operations in hospitals, without the love of their parents beside them, and I am upset at MY team losing against our bitterest rivals, while maintaining a 13 pt lead and having a treble to play for. How feckin spoiled are we???? The manager and players had a bad day, again, it happens in those games and those of us that thought this was going to be an easy win as it was at our place, then just doesn’t get what makes players tick in those games. We played badly, and I know it hurts, but look at where we are!!!!! This is when fans get behind their team. my old man used to not buy the newspapers until around the following Thursday if Celtic lost at the weekend, but he wouldn’t bad mouth the players or the manager. He would put his scarf on, get on the bus and be ecstatic that he got to see Celtic again. I love my team, as we all do, and the amount of good times that they have given us over the last 12 years is unprecedented. I need to be a better role model to my kids in games like this as there are far more pressing things in life to worry about than losing to thems.
We are Celtic supporters, faithful through and through…the song says
Sorry for the long post, scroll by no problem, just my tuppence worth.
Hail Hail.
Sean
Celtic 40 me
Fair point re Greg Taylor.
He may not by a physically robust but his work rate at creating space and an out ball in the inverted midfield role was definitely lacking.
I certainly hadn’t considered that point.
Winning trebles is papering over the cracks..
There is no “Old Firm” …but you can still lose Old Firm games.
We never have to play Rangers again,they died in 2012
This newco sevco zombie team are not Rangers and its just another game…but I go mental if we lose to them.
It’s all the shnakes fault..Bring back Peter Lawwell
I don’t have a sense of entitlement but the board should be sacked every time we lose a game to the team that don’t exist anymore
BR has left us short in midfield, why on earth was Holm loaned out and not replaced? The team has been crying out for a defensive midfielder for a long time. Calmac’s workload will have to be reduced next season. All the talk is signing strikers and wingers. Games are won and lost in the midfield.
Fact is we have played some very good football under Brendan this season, consistently enough in both league and cups to still be 13 points clear in the SPL, League Cup winners, and in the semi-final of the Scottish. Did quite well in the CL too. So how come he did not foresee the approach and tactics our opponents would adopt against us yesterday? Why persist with his own preferred play out from the back style when the opposition exposed it right from the start of the game? Hubris? Of course we did get back into the game, before, calamitously, failing to deal with the long ball from Butland. Or as Graham Taylor would often say, not the long ball, but the right ball. One which once again put us on the back foot, metaphorically, and on our backsides literally. And so it goes…..
Ah, the standard / same old post old firm game loss debate post, same one we’ve been having since at least toure was in the team, signs have been there since before recent losses where we were lucky to survive initial blitz, here’s the thing our entire system / formation is a cheat , 2 proper defenders and no DM infront, how many goals have we conceded 6 yards in front of the cb’s because theres no one there shielding them , yeah failed signings and lack of squad rotation is an issue , now I wasn’t a fan of Rodgers coming back, and he obv has his plus points, and yeah I realise he’s only 52, but I think it’s interesting he’s never been anywhere more than about 3 years, I think he’s a good impact mgr , good a blowing smoke, didn’t suarez basically say , yeah for 2 years I was told I was the best , then your benched then ur gone….
Going for the treble, thirteen points clear with a flat support, flat stadium, flat team, flat club.
Flat Earth CSC
When we’re trying to attack quickly on the right, why does McCowan place himself between Johnson and Khun/Jota?
All he does is stop the ball moving forward quickly and just gets in the road.
Was he told to make himself available there? I sincerely hope not.
From PREVIOUS THREAD..
eratic on 17th March 2025 11:50 am
Just seen the footage of Cerny…. Thought it was quite funny to be honest !
Suppose we’ve got to lighten up a bit !!
……………..
Funny ?
I don’t think so.
What do think the Polis would do IF a Celtic supporter squirted water on Hun players during a game, or when the Hun players and staff were coming off their Bus on arrival at Celtic Park ?
What do you think the Hun players and/or staff would do at same scenario ?
IF a Celtic supporter had done the above, the Hun Board would be issuing ” STATEMENTS”, and DEMANDING action against Celtic and also demanding prosecution by the Polis.
Far from being ” FUNNY” maybe you should also consider ” WHAT IF” if a member of The Green Brigade decided to have some ” FUN” by squirting water on Hun players or Staff ?
Are the SPL/SFA going to take action against the Hun players ?
Are the SPL/SFA going to take action against the Huns for NOT CONTROLLING their Players ?
I will NOT be holding my breath.
I expressed concerns about the number of chances we were giving up some weeks ago, although it may have got a bit lost amongst all the chatter about Queens Park and Alloa.
Not entirely sure why, but we just don’t look anywhere near the team we were in the first four months of the season.
Great day for the old firm though…..
When PC Plod announced his new measures on Friday you could have put the kettle on for the kettling.
Boondock Saint
Recently, I have tried to adopt the same approach as your father. With regard to criticising the players (well some of them) I failed miserably. Schmeicel caused me to be almost apoplectic. I think he was the major cause of our troubles in the first half. He was constantly too far out of his goals, his distribution was appalling and the defence were nervous wrecks due to the pressure he invited upon them due to his awful passes out of defence. I was screaming for him to be subbed and Sinisalo brought on after 20 minutes. Johnston and Kuhn, normally a devastating partnership both had their worst games in a Celtic strip. Was Kuhn poor because of Johnston’s awful display or was Johnston poor because Kuhn was so bad. Nah, they were both rotten yesterday on their own merits. Kuhn was subbed correctly at half time, Johnston should have been also then he wouldn’t have been culpable for Sevco’s late winner and the two late chances he squandered. These players have been heroes for us and they will be again.
However, I’m glad to say I had a few rants on my way to Bellgrove after the game and when I got on the train. That got it all out of my system. While in transit the Tims on the train all settled down and several different groups shared the craic with their pals. One of my mates said, “Look around you – everybody’s laughing and joking and we’ve just lost to Them. That’s the difference between them and us. If it had gone the other way they’d have wrecked the train.”
And you know, when I woke up this morning I was still a Tim and it was St. Patrick’s Day and I was grateful that it was so.
Hail! Hail!
From PREVIOUS THREAD..
eratic on 17th March 2025 11:50 am
Just seen the footage of Cerny…. Thought it was quite funny to be honest !
Suppose we’ve got to lighten up a bit !!
……………
Furthermore….What IF YOUR Son or Daughter or Grand wean was the ” VICTIM” of Hun players squirting them with water ?
Would you still find it ” FUNNY” ?