Before this Europa League group got underway the trips to Istanbul and Amsterdam looked daunting. Those games produced two credible draws, but things went wildly wrong elsewhere.
Our goal last night was a peach. Dedryck Boyata split the Fenerbahce defence to open up space for Mikael Lustig to cross for Kris Commons, who peeled off his marker to create the space to head home. Unfortunately only one point was collected as we lost another Keystone Cops goal.
Craig Gordon seems to be struck by a lack of conviction this season. His was not the only failing at our repeated corner kick fiascos but letting a ball trickle through his legs as he appeared caught in two minds is indicative of a player who is doubting himself.
You know Kris Commons scores and creates huge goals for Celtic, we’ve discussed it often enough here. Despite his veteran status and apparent ill-fitting to our system he remains by far our most effective player.
For Ronny, it didn’t go wrong in Europe this season against Fenerbahce or Ajax (I’m absolving him of blame for Efe’s error or a last minute breakaway goal at Celtic Park), it went wrong home and away to Molde and Malmo. We appeared to underestimate both. Did the manager have something to prove against fellow Norwegian managers?
Celtic dominated possession stats in all four games against Molde and Malmo but the Scandinavians exploited the acres of space which simply didn’t exist in our games against Ajax, Fenerbahce or Qarabag, for that matter. Ajax, Fenerbahce and Qarabag got the respect they deserved, not so Molde and Malmo.
The failure is, of course, more complicated than that. Jozo missed the bulk of the campaign, while Dedryck is only just beginning to look like a footballer (lovely pass for the goal last night). Scott Allan looks promising, but we’ve not seen enough of him either due to injury.
Curiously, Ronny’s big 2015 No. 1 striker target, Nadir, looks less like a Ronny Deila player than anyone we’ve bought in years. Knowing we were interested in him, I watched his performances against Celtic last season, and made the same observation at the time.
What happens if your keeper’s form falls off a cliff, one of your new defenders doesn’t settle quickly, two other new players miss months through injury, and your new striker doesn’t morph into a different player? You finish bottom of the Europa League group.
Celtic must now consider their strategy for January. Successive transfer windows have left us weaker, not stronger. Identify the reasons, remediate and we can build on the away performances which bookended this Europa League campaign.
Check out the CQNBookstore. There’s 15 great Celtic books and 10 DVDs, you’ll love them.
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JJHS / Glendaly’s
Plus ca change
It’s a pub league when Celtic look like adding another to the ‘in a row’
Vincent you’ll never walk alone.
By … Thanks … I better move to the office then. I can’t type so fast on the iPad. See if you can’t run interference on that emba lad for me! Cheers.
Ps see we are linked once again with berg green.
I think today’s game could be our most difficult so far in the league. Ronnies record in domestic games immediately after European ties is fantastic, but history, as well as results in other leagues, tell us that winning these games, after midweek European ties can be testing.
St Johnstone are playing with great confidence (ours seems fragile at the moment) and will fancy their chances. I think they will have a right go. Any news on Griff yet? His appearance, or not, may be crucial, as I feel his absence will allow St Johnstone to load bodies forward. Finally, I assume the playing surface will be tricky. All in all a testing cocktail, beware Celtic!
However as ever, optimism prevails. Mon the Hoops.
Not sure if the team has been announced but I feel Bailly should get a game.
CG needs some real competition and we also need to be ready. Just in case.
HH.
Would like to see Scott Allan retained in behind Leigh Griffiths with Kris Commons and James Forrest, though It might be a game where RD feels a bit more dig in required in the midfield and Tom Rogic might return?
He may also continue with Calum McGregor and have JF on from the bench with Button and Johansen as the sitting players, whilst the back four picks itself.
Scott Allan looks an interesting player in the glimpses we’ve seen.
Mon the hoops.
Hope Scott A starts, is the griff fit? Stick with CG in goals and get Kris on from the start.
O aye and 3 bloody points as well.
Button is a product of the iPhone’s predictive text and not the Celtic youth team.
He may not risk jamesforrrst if pitch too firm
Celtic team v St Johnstone – ko 12:30 live on BT Sport 1
Celtic Football Club @celticfc 13s13 seconds ago
Celtic team to play St Johnstone: Gordon; Lustig, Boyata, Simunovic, Izaguirre; McGregor, Johansen; Forrest, Rogic, Armstrong; Ciftci
No griffiths
I’ve written to complain to the BBC. Match of the day last night showed a list of candidates likely to replace Gary Monk and King Warbo the magnificent was not among them.
Someone in the research department there needs sacking.
Subs: Bailly, Ambrose, Tierney, Allan, Mackay-Steven, Cole, Commons.
Cheers Mike
Always good to have someone reliable ☘☘
No Bitton? Griff is the biggest loss though.
Ciftci will either ‘arrive’ as a Celtic player by scoring the winner or confirm the view that he hasn’t got it.
no LG or NB? …. someone’s got some splaining to do….
I’ll amend my last post. Ciftci might have en excellent game and provide assists for the winning goal/s without scoring himself.
I wouldn’t bet on it though.
Allan ahead of Armstrong for me just now, his confidence is shot to bits, continually played out of position, to accommodate Johansen doesn’t help the guy
Awe right then plan B for me :-(.
Hope wee Jamsie turns it on today,
Time for Stuart A to up his game, looks like he could be in the middle today along side Tom R and Joe H.
glandayl’s ….. I will. 5 pounds to Mary’s meals says that NC scores today. I figure I’m going to do my xmas giving to charities, so I might as well have abit of fun while I’m doing it. :)
Can see the subs already ..
Commons for Rogic when he runs out of steam
Allan for Armstrong as he’s having no real effect and we need a good pass to …
Cole for Cifcti as we need to have a presence up front
No Griff. no Bitton – could be a physical battle today – a real war of attrition
mike in toronto on 13th December 2015 11:38 am
fair enough Mike, I’ll do the same. Might start a trend!
Team selection…..baffled so I am.
Glendaly’s …… well done pal! HH
Glendaly
I was chatting with my brother on Friday night – lives in Kent
He said he hadn’t seen warbos name mentioned for either Fulham or Swansea
BTW. . When shifty Armstrong and gms were at utd – st johnstone were their bogey team. None of the trio ever had a decent game against them
Today’s the day to change that
Stuart Armstrong really needs to step up today.
Picking a team is not as simple as selecting 11 players from a long list…..
KT is 18, rarely lasts 90 minutes and played at a very high level on Thursday. This kid needs managed. Leaving him out is sensible.
Scott Allan was out for weeks and is still finding match fitness. Thursday would have taken a lot out of him. Again, sensible.
Kris is also just back from injury so no complaints there.
Leigh we know is struggling, Cole looks well off 90 minutes so Ciftci it must be.
Nir was toiling for the last 10 mins on Thursday so no surprise he misses out.
All in all the team pretty much picks itself.
Ronny has v little room for manoeuvre right now but that will get no consideration if we don’t win comfortably today
There shoul be a taxi outside St. Johnsones park and I think it’s up to Ciftci today whether he uses it or not, time to pay the ferryman big fella, let’s see if that jersey fits you?
Sean Thornton
Really sad news about Micks carer Vincent. Please God help give the families the strength in the coming days.
Hope you don’t mind a song
Hootie and the Blowfish ~ Hold my Hand
https://youtu.be/xoW3bqnr7tw
HH
In Perth with ma Bhoy…..
Ayrshire is Green and White
Nye – given fitness issues I think it’s the only team he could pick!
Bada Bing
Agree with your comments re Allan and Johansen – we have a surfeit of players for the no 10 role plus we have Christie available in Jan.
We don’t need another ’10’ in Jan. We need another striker, a winger and a true defensive mid fielder – and Johansen needs a long break
I assume Bitton is injured? Don’t remember anything from Thursday?
Not too many defensive players in that line up. I’m revising my 2 – 0 prediction to 6 – 3!
Is Bitton injured?
I think McGregor has been looking good in has couple of appearances lately. Overall, though, I am not confident of a victory. Some will see that as an indictment of Celtic; others will see it as giving the lie to the MSSM claim that all we have to do is turn up because this is such a rubbish League.
JJ
and I’m feeling confident today….. I have another fiver for Mary’s meals that says I get first post this morning. Anyone willing to take that bet?
TBJ
Warbo to Swansea/Fulham was a product of the SMSM propoganda machine.
guernica
Without LG we struggle to score, Commons is
our next best option and therefore must start.
will whoever is in charge please hurry up and post the new article? I”m bursting for a pee……