You and I often discuss that teams learn lessons from failure; less so from victories. So it was after the League Cup Final in December. Celtic took home the trophy after a penalty kick decider, but whatever plans we had to control events were thoroughly subverted.
Two weeks later, Celtic went to Ibrox with no learning whatsoever from that final. Philippe Clement, who was deep in job-losing form at the time, bossed the battle. It was a chastening experience, one which remains in the memory ahead of Sunday’s game. We need to learn lessons, not only when they are obvious (Dortmund), but also when they are hidden by a result.
No less than Jose Mourinho got it wrong against Alloa’s 11th best manager of the 21st century. 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. Whenever they get into the Celtic penalty area, they will crumble to the deck. A grab of a jersey will be magnified (looking at you, Auston) and there will be plenty left on each challenge. In possession, their most potent player is Cerny. Jeffrey Schlupp and Trusty will have the job of showing him down the line. His fondness for cutting inside is almost compulsive.
Your confidence will be fortified by Celtic’s attacking options. Daizen Maeda has thrived against Newco since before his recent run of free scoring form. Newco have no answer to his speed and power. When playing on the left, they doubled up on him, as does every other Scottish club.
Memories of Jota against Newco from his first spell in Glasgow, his goals and the way he controlled play, remain vivid. What’s your favourite, the Scottish Cup semifinal headed goal, the goal when he rounded Allan McGregor and rolled the ball into the empty net, or the deft control and lob over keeper Jon McLaughlin? Your other memory of Jota in these games was how Newco doubled up against the Portuguese winger.
What Newco could not cope with in this season’s League Cup Final was the dribbling of Nicolas Kuhn. The German was Celtic’s fulcrum on the right, scoring what should have been a late winner. Nicolas went into that game favourite for the Player of the Year award; Newco doubled up on him in an attempt to inhibit his craft.
There is a theme to how Newco defend against Maeda, Jota and Kuhn; they double up against each of them, but they have never faced all three in the same game. I am looking forward to seeing how this plays out. Celtic need to move the ball quickly to drag opponents across the field. This will result in misplaced passes; live with it. Passes reach their destination 100% of the time when you slow things down; that outcome would be a poor indicator of our play. This is particularly true of Reo Hatate, he needs our support to misplace the odd one when trying to expose a defensive stucture.
322 Comments- Pages:
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SFTBCSC
Saint Stivs on 14th March 2025 11:40 am
https://x.com/henriks_tongue/status/1900453517002694817
a gig awaits on countdown for the bold barry, good at numbers and knows all the glasgow vowels.
thurz an eh
and an aye
an an e
an an oh
and a you
and a how.
Folk give Barry Ferguson a hard time but his 4-3-1 formation is unbeaten at 5 aside.
Brendan Rodgers and Celtic stand on the edge of historic Parkhead history.
I think the key thing they improved upon in January was marginalising Calmac. He got no time on the ball to build play from the back. That, combined with most of the team playing well below their best, resulted in a drubbing for us.
Calmac won’t be dropped but our midfield, especially Reo and Engels, improved when he was taken off in last couple of games.
Setting Free The Bears
Great article. Much to ponder
I’ll admit to being conflicted re playing both Jota and Kühn. Stretches us wide, though leaves a lot of space in the middle
Agree that sevco chances are very likely from our own frailties, both clumsy close contact and the odd slack square pass.
That said, I am quietly confident of deserved 3 points
A weekend of prayer awaits.
keep the ball, shoot early. butland is shite.
play our own game,
as to last decembers game and the new year loss, they mean nothing regarding sunday.
jota , to be the superstar.
The Sevco effect, angst ridden public statements via a compliant MSM partnership.
Celtic for very good reasons don’t do ‘statements’ sometimes we don’t even do, invitations. Refereeing ‘incompetence’ including everybody’s new favourite VAR, still gets tackled by Celtic usually in private on a Monday morning. A full time VAR official with no gig again this weekend, one ‘honest mistake’ too many? or bullying your Assistant till he agrees? – comes to the same thing.
Ignorance of what instigates a VAR intervention and review, or what is factual isn’t a competent look for a full time VAR referee, a persistent problem kicked down the road. Celtic verse Rainjurz time, oh look ! this is a job for the visiting club’s old mascot, and a true Lanarkshire loyalist. A small pool from which poor wee Willie has to cherry pick for ‘competence’.
I’m not sure there’s much to say on this game, we’re going for a 19 point lead and we’re fairly settled on our starting 11.
3-0 Celtic
The new year game when they tore us a new one will be the same plan , get stuck into our timid midfield . We have some smashing midfielders but roughen them up and out the window goes our engine room . Unfortunately Kuhn and jota fall into the same category , a touch of the rough stuff will put them out the game as they don’t like it . Quality wise they don’t have players we have ,but they have the hammer throwers to nullify our quality players . We do not possess a battler ,and you can be certain that wee bigot Ferguson knows this and will send them out to lay the boot into us , knowing only too well a blind eye will be turned to the goings on . Brendan has cited we lack physicality in the team , the chance was there in January to buy one
Hopefully on Sunday we won’t rue not having a battler .
Jimtim
Broony would be the man for Sunday
SATURDAY 14TH
Again, another uneventful somewhat boring day. My weight is 58.25 kgs, and no medical complaints. I read the papers, which are full of trash.
Tonight’s tea was pie and beans, and although hunger may fuel my imagination (it looked a powerful-sized meal), I don’t exaggerate: the beans were nearly falling off the plate. If I said this all the time to the lads, they would worry about me, but I’m all right.
It was inviting (I’m human too) and I was glad to see it leave the cell. Never would I have touched it, but it was a starving nuisance. Ha! My God, if it had have attacked, I’d have fled.
I was going to write about a few things I had in my head but they’ll wait. I am looking forward to the brief company of all the lads at Mass tomorrow. You never know when it could be the last time that you may ever see them again.
I smoked some cigarettes today. We still defeat them in this sphere. If the Screws only knew the half of it; the ingenuity of the POW is something amazing. The worse the situation the greater the ingenuity. Someday it may all be revealed.
On a personal note, Liam Og (the pseudonym for Bobby Sands’ Republican Movement contact on the outside), I just thought I’d take this opportunity tonight of saying to your good hard-working self that I admire you all out there and the unselfish work that you all do and have done in the past, not just for the H-Blocks and Armagh, but for the struggle in general.
I have always taken a lesson from something that was told me by a sound man, that is, that everyone, Republican or otherwise, has his own particular part to play. No part is too great or too small, no one is too old or too young to do something.
There is that much to be done that no select or small portion of people can do, only the greater mass of the Irish nation will ensure the achievement of the Socialist Republic, and that can only be done by hard work and sacrifice.
So, mo chara, for what it’s worth, I would like to thank you all for what you have done and I hope many others follow your example, and I’m deeply proud to have known you all and prouder still to call you comrades and friends.
On a closing note, I’ve noticed the Screws have been really slamming the cell doors today, in particular my own. Perhaps a good indication of the mentality of these people, always vindictive, always full of hate. I’m glad to say that I am not like that.
Well, I must go to rest up as I found it tiring trying to comb my hair today after a bath.
So venceremos, beidh bua againn eigin la eigin. Sealadaigh abu.
(Translated, this reads as follows:)
So venceremos, we will be victorious someday. Up the Provos.
We do not possess a battler
aj, ccv, trusty, scales, kasper, engels, sclupp, adam and even yang.
all over 6ft and all battlers.
maeda toughest samuri mentality to go with his buzz bombing.
jota and kuhn to foul them you have to catch them, most likely with an elbow to the face.
reo and calmac, let their superior footballing skills win the day.
if all they have is a get in te thum battle fever, big deal.
dont be bullied.
I agree 100% – this is a very important game for the manager. Sorry to go on about it, but after being given a dress rehearsal at Hamden, the game at new year was a professional embarrassment. I really hope he’s learned and we scud them.
I disagree we should be spraying the ball around. They pounced/countered on our misplaced passes. We should avoid heady tennis and chaos ball at all costs. It plays right in to their hands.
A game plan similar to the Hibs game will do just fine – control the game, retain possession and suffocate the opponent.
https://x.com/hoidy/status/1900481383824228491?s=48
Hun player flying this flag on the pitch last night after the game, hope UEFA are watching….
Would you forgo the win if it meant it guaranteed Barry as manager?
Additional powers authorised for Celtic v Rangers match on Sunday, 16 March, 2025
For the match between Celtic and Rangers on Sunday, 16 March 2025, the use of powers under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 has been authorised.
This allows officers to stop and search people where this is appropriate and necessary, whether they are in a vehicle of on foot.
Officers can require the removal of any item they believe is being used wholly or partly for the purposes of concealing a person’s identity.
The Section 60 stop and search power will be in force in various areas throughout Glasgow, from 8am until 11.50pm, on Sunday, 16 March, 2025.
McLean and Beaton will need to be careful on Sunday because…
THE WHOLE WORLD’S WATCHING…THE WHOLE WORLD’S WATCHING…
Weebobbycollins on 14th March 2025 12:39 pm
I think what they’ll be saying is ‘we need to be subtle on Sunday , the whole world is watching ‘.
DENIABHOY on 14TH MARCH 2025 12:06 PM
That’s been a concern of mine for a while now. When CalMac plays, absolutely everything must go through him in the build up. If we’re not seeing the midfield take turns in dropping deep and moving forward then we’re in trouble.
stop worrying for goodness sake.
how quickly people forget.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYo7yz8pmJQ
Something the hun will never win.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/faVQvg5d2nh7q1Xr8
Just wondering who it is that the Huns would use to out muscle our midfield , don’t think they have got anyone with dig that we need to be either aware of or worried about ?
New year game we didn’t turn up.
Looking forward to Sunday 👍☘️
Seems McGregor didn’t train today
Maybe one day we will learn the lessons of keeping the old firm active. Then again, maybe not…….
Tavpen has been destroyed at fullback facing Maeda as a winger
Bet he is relieved he is now a centre half and wont have for face him
…….Oh wait lol
GB Tifo banned for Sunday
So while watching Thems last night with the volume down, I couldn’t help but notice a big union jack flag with the word Culloden on it. And here me was thinking that it was Ireland that they didn’t like. I will say that I think Cerny is a good player, and is their main dangerman. Looking forward to the game on Sunday. Sat behind the Rangers Dugout back on that infamous St. Paddy’s day when they all got sent off. Was a young player helping Mr. Mochan with the equipment that day, and got a wee warning from a Policeman in the tunnel about my language to thems. I thought I was in big trouble but he just told me not to say it as vociferous. What a great day that was to be in the dressing room picking up smelly jerseys and walking by the away dressing room and hearing thems arguing as I ut the sainted Hoops jerseys in the industrial strength washing machines. I wasn’t even an apprentice anymore and could sit in the luxury seats but Mr. Mochan, a TRUE Celtic legend, asked me if I wanted to help him. He was a man I could never turn down,and was a huge part of why I loved my time at Celtic and what an amazing sense of humor he had. he used to tell the ask the new players coming in what size shinguards they needed? They would be confused as th eplayers didn’t know that shinguards came in sizes and he would say that it is the same size as your boots:)))) Very sad when that man passed away. Great film on Prime called Smiler about Mr. Mochan.
Sorry for the long post my fellow cqners.
Hail Hail.
Sean
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxScL35ZDzc
what has jota ever done against the rangers ?
Sean
Great stuff 👍
£2.6M spent on health & safety measures including new netting at Celtic Park
bad bad decision celtic plc.
letting them in is bad enough, but banning our tifo, bryond the pale. lierally.
https://x.com/NCCeltic/status/1900510773534712156/photo/1
Morning all from a cloudy and overcast Miramar Beach, FL.
I saw the pen shoot out last night but didn’t see any of the game. I remember the Hampden game after they had played 120 mins in Europa with GVB. I expected them to wilt and they never did.
Makes for an interesting spectacle on Sunday – avoid complacency and we win.
£37.00 for a ticket verse Hertz
They squeezed a lot of energy out of Cerny last night, in fact it looked at one point they were going to replace him with Danilo…however, as he seemed to be their best bet for a goal they decided to leave him on. It will be interesting to see his energy level on Sunday…
Raman Bhardwaj
@ramanbhardwajTV
Callum McGregor did individual training today. Managing a calf issue. Hopes to train with squad tomo and if no reaction, good to play on Sunday. Says Celtic didn’t do themselves justice at Ibrox in January.
I have no fear for Sunday. We will be so up for this game…there will be no complacency on our part and there will be a desire to make up for the last game against them. (even if they do play 3-5-1). My one concern, as Paul67 mentioned, is Trusty’s propensity to pull, tug and hold on at set-pieces. McLean and Beaton will be watching…in fact, THE WHOLE WORLD’S WATCHING, THE WHOLE WORLD’S WATCHING…