The bigger question than why Celtic were so poor on Sunday is how to reshape the team or squad to address the issue? There is a clear deficit. We have three full backs at the club, two went off injured, leaving Anthony Ralston, a more than suitable backup at right back, playing on the left, while Stephen Welsh parachuted in from relative obscurity to try-out as a right back.
With Boli Bolingoli no longer part of the plans, we only have one left back: Greg Taylor. Greg has suffered numerous absences this season, forcing Josip Juranovic to the left, where he never played before making his Celtic debut there.
Liam Scales, primarily a central defender, has covered on the left, but did not even make the 11-man bench. A left back on the bench would have allowed Ralston to remain on the right and prevented Welsh being thrown into a position he has never played on such a major occasion.
Even with Taylor and Juranovic on the field, Celtic did not have the ability to pass from defence to midfield without regularly giving up possession. We looked easy to mark up against. Think back two weeks to Ibrox, when Daizan Maeda dropped deep to give his midfield an option (or cover in defence).
That vision of perpetual motion was absent on Sunday. It is not Tom Rogic’s game and neither Jota nor Liel Abada looked to have the energy to put in a similar shift. Both were noticable fatiged later in the game. On the few occasions when Celtic were able to quickly transition, they looked dangerous, but just as we did against Bodo/Glimt, we were unable to find the space to pass confidently out of defence.
Notwithstanding the fact that Giorgos Giakoumakis was absent, Celtic are a comparatively small side. The days of tall full backs being able to dominate high balls out of defence are gone. We are assembling a squad on its ability to find space, pass and move. What happens when a central defender makes a forward pass against an opponent marking man-to- man in the middle of the park determines the outcome of Celtic games. The inquest into Sunday should focus on little else.
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Timbhoy 163.
Totally agree. I go away on Monday. I have had numerous requests for my ticket for that one game.
There is absolutely no doubt that Celtic v OldFirm tickets are more in demand that any other league game .
Whether we like it or not, that is factual.
Subsequently we should maximise the available seats to accommodate our fans who are desperate to see this game.
For well trodden reasoning, give the huns f@@k all. Embrace the Celtic family and put us first.
HH.
Timbhoy163/Greenpinata,
The hun and SFA already set the prescedent of witholding tickets and the SFA doing nothing about it, so any action by the SFA could be challenged and defeated.
Problem is, our Plc know their place.
Greenpinata@9:28
Disagree with you completely, censorship is needed on this blog with this politics stuff. There was one day 75% of the posts were political and from less than five posters. That’s not a debate its a pollution of the blog, if these bhoys want a protracted political debate then they can do it at the end of a finished article and give us peace.
Give them nothing.
The garbage spouted by Sky and the like that away fans add to the spectacle is only to promote themselves.
Our fans and staff have been attacked, outrageous banners have been flown and sectarian singing is the norm.
Would you allow this filth into your home?
PRESTONPANS BHOYS on 20TH APRIL 2022 10:03 AM
Totally agree. No idea why these folk want to come on and promote the samel views time and time again, they will change no ones opinion.
Chase them as far away as possible…
For those on holiday or retired😂 snooker with Higgins v Unnooh now on👍
Until we get rid of the old board and let’s face it a few of them are past there sell by date nothing will change especially the rules that the S F A impose on every S P L Clubs ,but Celtic have the power at least to challenge them in the court of law ,no way should a referee be in charge of a Celtic Old Firm game if it’s a known fact they support one or the other ,right away to me that’s cheating but here is the 60 Thousand Question who replaces them ?
Timbhoy
Making a coffee while the snooker is going on a bit!
Agree and moreover if it is known that the ref was a previous ST holder then more so😕
Not everyone is fixated on escaping reality through distraction.
As you say Greenpinata, diversity is a strength.
We have all the teeny’s crying they want politics on the blog censored, real 1984 thought police in action.
I’ll bet my bottom ruble many were cheering on the anti-Putin chants at Celtic park not too long ago, with absolutely no knowledge beyond what the thought police has told them to think.
While they babble politics is about inappopriate on a football site its more to do with their fear of challenging their thought police installed knowledge. I’ve found the more vitriol directed at the antagonist the the less secure the aggressors are in their own understanding, bully tactics are pretty common for the insecure.
If we assume GVB will take the same approach to our next game with them, what will we do differently? We could still be without GG. Maybe also our fullbacks.
I was confident of a home win, less so now. The roughhouse approach knocks us off our game. This was a clear tactic and one GVB did not use in previous games.
Greenpinata
Excellent post, with which I completely agree.
Not a huge fan of all the politics stuff, though I have the free will and opposing thumb to scroll by.
Only foul language or personal attacks should be moderated imo. Possibly blasphemous language, though may come under ‘foul’.
Anyway, tis a fine day for a stroll and a pint.
Aff oot
Canalmar,
I dont need my thoughts challenged on a celtic blog on any political topic.
I am capable of sourcing things myself.
I havnt read anything of the long ranting posters ever that has made me change my mind on anything. Neither will i click on any non-celtic links.
Its a waste of cyber space. Its boring, and often descends into name calling “youse are all thick” type rhetoric.
Much of the postings are just gibberish, I wouldnt sit next to the person on a bus, probably get off a stop early to get away from them.
That is where this blog has got to, half a dozen dominating demented ranters,
DENIABHOY on 20TH APRIL 2022 10:49 AM
If we assume GVB will take the same approach to our next game with them, what will we do differently? We could still be without GG. Maybe also our fullbacks.
——————-
It is simple.
Play to our best strength, pass fast and accurate, dont run with the ball when a pass to a celt in space is on, just pass it,
Compare Hatate 2nd goal at celtic park and the all movement passing build up, with very few touches, to sundays Jota (in particular) running with the ball, and taking shots, when it was on to pass instantly to maeda.
Even kyogo was at it that time he got fouled edge of box, the pass was on first time, and he didnt take it.
They cant go through the back of you if you already passed the ball and kept running.
Great game of snooker six all. Now take your tablet outside, sun cream on and move between snooker and celtic blogs at the breaks.
You could even have a 🍻 later👍
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqNPiD2UXCw
touch pass, touch pass, pass, pass, touch shot, goal
St Stives,
You know as well as me, politics have been discussed on this blog as long as its existed, AweNaw, SFTB and Kojo are just some of the names I remember way back then who participated in political discourse.
Unlike you my mind has been changed by people who took the time to explain and provide information that supports their position.
Unlike you I am not intransigent or closed minded and I expect had I been I would still be ignorant of many of the things that have caused me to change my position.
It’s an old response and used often, if you don’t want it scroll past it, censorship is not an acceptable position to take on important issues that affect us all, well except you maybe.
There are blogs and sites out there that have rules about no political discussion, this blog never has, it has been relatively free of censorship, its a sign of the times that censorship appear to be supported more.
Play to our best strength, pass fast and accurate, dont run with the ball when a pass to a celt in space is on, just pass it,
————-
I would be saying the same to Joe Hart as well, stop taking seconds to decide what you are going to do, as soon as that ball gets to your feet pass it to a celt, even if its just the nearest one,
Only a few days out from next league game.
Can’t wait.
If we can that match it will be hugely significant.
At very worst, 6 points plus GD ahead with 4 games remaining.
Re: 01 May game, I honestly believe it will take care of itself.
A slightly biased but not unreasonable summary of last Sunday might say …
We underperformed at a neutral venue
.. but even though we did …
it still took an Old Firm FC supporting referee allowing the team he supports to kick with impunity ….
… and an offside 116th minute winner
To beat us.
The problem is, and it does seem to be a problem for some, dissenting, ranting, attention-seeking and obsessive trolling posts are never completely ignored which in turn gives the poster the required oxygen to continue. Posters such as KevJ, JHB and MM thrive on the negative reactions from others, it spurs them on.
However, I have to say I’m not in favour of censorship, I prefer to attack and insult said posters, especially
Jota’s Head Band… :-)
Agree on Hart, he should be looking up before he collects the ball, know exacly where its going when he collects it, we expect that from the outfield players. The frustration at the number of times we have men free making unmarked forward moves only to be wasted because he has taken too long to decide, then passing to the nearest marked plaer when we are being pressed.
So next political subject, Assange will be extradited to the US a victory for the censors.
Canamalar previous mate
Gp.Thatll mean MichaelO will be talking its multis no one else!
Ernie- I was responding to an unknown fake troll who used the same language to me.But you select my post replying in its own language,didn’t see you it? Is this how your one sided memory works? I suspect
not,as unknown fake trolls tend to support their own.
HH
new article posted.
GVB will use the same tactics it was successful, the old firm boot boys will be in our wee bhoys heads , and maddens practices will be followed by whoever gets the game next week again because it was successful , we can never be allowed to win this league . There are over 50000 of us who pay to watch our club , we do so in the hope we can overcome the other teams and finish the season top of the pile , we don’t pay to watch our club cheated week in week out which is happening . We are Scottish football what state would it be in without us filling away grounds , creating the atmosphere at these pokey wee stadia , creating the tv interest that people will tune in and as is more common paying over the odds for it . Without us what would the laptop loyal do , how would they express there bias how would they express there hatred for all irish catholic celtic . Do they ever sit down and think if they would have a job without the Celtic , the sports hacks in this bitter wee country would be unemployable , it would take a complete brain overhaul to programme them to anything different other than slagging Celtic . I Like many thousands of others have spent most of our lives in my case over 64 years following the hoops , but by the blatant cheating and blatant cheating that is being sanctioned by the governors of Scottish football I wonder if it is worth it anymore , we are paying to watch a corrupt set up where Celtic will only win when they allow us too . I am mentioning the governance of Scottish football , when I should also be including those people who go under the guise of directors of our club , People who sit back and watch all that’s happening against our club and perform the three monkeys hear no evil see no evil speak no evil further allowing us to be mistreated . To enhance and clean up the game it’s time the suits in Hampden HQ were ejected from office AND for the good of CELTIC FC the same fate for our suits . Sorry for the rant bhoys .