A week ago you and I discussed how Newco fans were more confident ahead of a Celtic game than they had ever been, while we, chastened by a lacklustre Celtic performance against them last month, thought we had a game on our hands at Hampden.
Five days after a very one-sided Scottish Cup semi-final and sentiment in both camps has shifted. Newco were awful on a level that it is hard to do justice on the page. Celtic were imperious in possession and attacked with a swagger.
Don’t let what happened a week ago cloud your judgement. I’ve been going to Ibrox for over 30 years, and many on here have been going twice as long, but no matter how poor old Rangers were in that time, we seldom had it easy. On my first visit there we scored four second half goals against a truly awful outfit, but 45 minutes into the game we were two down and struggling.
If you win at Ibrox, you have played well. Celtic will need to be unscrupulously faithful to their tactical system. Brendan will know how to prepare the players for this. They will need the concentration and energy to deliver the performance.
I have some worries for Pedro (apologies, but I’m not sure if he’s going to be around long enough to make it worthwhile learning how to spell his surname). His 10-second principle is a case in point.
In the interview Chris Davies gave to a few Celtic bloggers, including myself, he explained that when Celtic lose possession, the players are told to spend up to six seconds pressing directly for the ball. If they fail to win possession back in this period, they are to drop back into defensive positions.
They have been trained to do this since preseason. It’s risky, and you will note that they do it every week in domestic football, but the technique was used sparingly in the Champions League group stage. The risk of a Barcelona-type team passing through the press is dangerous, as when players are pressing, they are out of position.
This is how modern football is played, but Pedro should be cautious. You cannot reeducate players overnight. If you attempt to and fail, it’s the manager’s responsibility. In fact, this quote from Pedro is exactly what you should expect when you try to force a new system onto a team midseason:
“When we analysed the game in some moments of the game some players were acting in one direction, which was the right direction and other players were not doing the same thing at the same time.”
This was clearly not the outcome Pedro expected, but his explanation suggests he has a lot to learn about how to tactically change football teams.
What’s worse, instead of shielding his players by taking ownership of the blame, he put the players in the dock. It is no surprise that you can detect grumblings of discontent emanating from loyal Ibrox sources.
Taking about “in the dock”, Sir David Murray is currently in the witness box at Craig Whyte’s trial. Proceedings are enthralling, but we’ll catch up with that later. A point worth reiterating:
It is acceptable to report on what was said at court, but unacceptable to prejudice a witness or defendant with your view on that individual, or on evidence presented. So stick to what was said – that’s fascinating enough.
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Starry………
Aye…..
:)
But….
that *Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz’r* hasn’t gone away you know!
HH
BANKIEBHOY1
Jus’ testing mate to see if ye still hid the duracells:))
UTLR
Adi D
I’ll take that ticket if it’s still spare please mate.
Adi D
hamiltontim88@yahoo.co.uk
HT,
you just beat me to asking for the ticket.
started on page 1 for my read when in from work, cos i wanted to follow the jamesdolman tweets as they happen, then got to adi’s spare and thought, surely not that will be snaffled in an instant, but got onto page 4 and still no one had claimed it …………
and you pipped me at the post,
but enjoy anyways, you deserve it, for me it would just have been a selfish treat,
“We will not be cheated differently”
John Reid – I think that was what he said?
Craig Whyte at the High Court
Armani Suit: £1000
Ralph Lauren briefcase: £300
Tom Ford aftershave £500
Alexander McQueen tie: £200
Taylor Ferguson haircut: £90
David Murray’s Rangers £1
On the radar CSC
Couple of requests:
1. Can anyone post a link to the story last week (was it BRTH / WC ?) about the impact on Lisbon of Celtic fans – about the political situation and how it the people reacted to our fans just being free and happy? I really want to pass that on.
2. Winning Captains – any update on T-Shirt availability – looking for a medium for Wee BGFC and an – ahem – XXL for me?
Band practice tonight. Me and the boys are the entertainment for tomorrow evening’s Chapelhall Emerald CSC Annual Dance. Will be attended by FOUR LISBON LIONS and the European Cup!!!!
Never been more nervous :-))
HH
BGFC
Big Jimmy – Zonal Marking.
Celtic recently went a calendar year without conceding a goal at a corner in the league while employing zonal marking. I used to provide a report after every match.
It’s not the system that’s at fault, it’s those who don’t know how to teach it correctly, or those who don’t follow orders.
Even while being successful there were in-game comments blaming the system every time the opposition won a header. “They get a free run and jump”.
Maybe they do. But they didn’t score. Just like we didn’t score from a corner last week. And yet we have scored from corners against teams who mark man to man.
That said, I do agree they are a poor example of how to zonal mark at corners.
oh – just read backand see instructions re: t-shirts.
Still looking for a link re: the Lisbon story – anyone? The weans want to read about the social change in Lisbon that Celtic fans contributed to.
Ta
HH
BGFC
s
k
e
l
p
Supersutton,
Tru dat.
15 out of 16 teams in the knockout stage of the CL 2 seasons back played with zonal marking.
HH
3h
Andrew Black @BBCAndrewBlack
Sir David says he never went behind the manager’s back. Adds that he did his own PR.
Replying to @jamesdoleman
Says Murray briefed the press daily, briefed behind managers back.
This is not the first time I’ve noticed major discrepancies, surely Andrew Black is not changing what is being said?
Fairhill boy , where you from blanur! or blantir
Sid,
Black loves calling him Sir David.
What you claim wouldn’t surprise me.
HH
SUPERSUTTON & GEORDIE,
respectfully Bhoys, the stats on Celtic Zonal Marking just don’t do it for me…I hated Celtic playing it.
I would also say, that to say that Celtic had some degree of success with it is a bit misleading for me, cos when other teams failed to take advantage of it, that could be cos the other teams were not very good ?
It’s a bit like a team saying ” right lets play without a goalie ?
someone says, ” But that would be Football suicide”,
BUT….the other teams are hopeless when they try to attack !
now you wouldn’t do the above, play without a goalie, and for me Zonal Marking is simply INVITING BIG TROUBLE……..as is PLAYING WITHOUT A GOALIE WOULD BE….hoping the other team are crap at attacking ?
just my opinion Bhoys.
HH
Big George’s Fan Club
We have a few XXL tshirts remaining – sold out of all other sizes.
These are available exclusively at cqnbookstore.com
There are still copies of IN THE HEAT OF LISBON available – just over 100 away from a sell out! Remember profits will be used to say Thank You to Lisbon Lions.
Stivs
Apologies mate I headed to the gym straight after posting. The tickets is for a mate so let’s see if it’s still available first amigo.
Celtic are playing lovely football & creating a lot of chances, only small grumble is that we are not putting enough of our chances away. I always have the feeling that one of the days it will happen and we will gub someone by 6 or 7.
Would love it to happen tomorrow but will settle for any type of win.
There is always a bit of pressure going to Ibrox and their mob will be baying for blood but if we score early & shut the crowd up or better still get the crowd on their back, we could hump them.
My prediction 2-1 or 3-1 to the ‘tic.
Findlay: “You left the club to a group of men who sat around waiting for the Sultan of Brunei to decide to buy a Scottish football club”
Here’s a pic of the Sultan of Brunei:-
Sultan of Broon Eye
Good evening friends. Flying 15 minute dip in and out as I’m now aff work for a week and a half and have a few old friends coming round tonight for a blether. Oh and maybe a drink or 7.
Good news on the ole Goals For Shay front as I’m only (only) waiting on 16 more picks. Hopefully all sent in good time before the preparations start for the Glasgow Derby.
Life’s Good!
hahahhahaha sftb
skelp broony skelp
pedro fupped anyway cos he doesn’t hate us and rates our club
Twas always gonna happen, corrupt to the core
http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/resources/documents/ClubLicensing/2017/280417CL%20current%20status.pdf
Hamiltontim
Email sent
SID on 28TH APRIL 2017 5:40 PM
3h
Andrew Black @BBCAndrewBlack
Sir David says he never went behind the manager’s back. Adds that he did his own PR.
Replying to @jamesdoleman
Says Murray briefed the press daily, briefed behind managers back.
This is not the first time I’ve noticed major discrepancies, surely Andrew Black is not changing what is being said?
——
The tweet from Black is what Murray said.
The teeet from Dolemam, Findlay was reading out an email that Jack Irvine sent to Craig Whyte’s solicitor.
So no issue.
BIG GEORGES FAN CLUB – HAIL, HAIL, WEE OSCAR on 28TH APRIL 2017 5:26 PM
I’ve got all 3 parts of the Lisbon Story together. Email me at vfr@girfuy.co.uk and I’ll send you a copy.
KTF
Adi D
Reply sent amigo.
Interesting snippet from Brendan’s presser. He spoke about expecting the Huns will press us tomorrow and said that may actually help us. I can see where he’s coming from, if we get through their press either by a long ball or passing through it, they’re fecked. Watch out for Griffith getting on the end of a long pass or two tomorrow.
Expecting a really tough game myself. They will come out flying. We’ll need to be ready for the first 30 minutes or so and try and kill the crowd as early as possible. Griffiths and Sinclair absolutely key for me, if both turn up we will win easily. I know Griffiths will really fancy it. Hope he keeps his discipline in terms of waiting for the chances to come, which they inevitably will.
DEAR OH DEAR
Brendan you trumpet !!
Gret atmosphere created by both sets of fans last time at IBROX .
Brendan must have forgot that 42.000 were in raptures in the singing of CA and Fenian blood.
Fauxpascsc
https://thecelticblog.com/2017/04/blogs/has-the-sfa-approved-sevcos-european-license-nobody-cares-why-should-we/
JF on the Hampden Filth…
Winning Captains
Thanks for your help with my mess up over T shirt sizes. All arrived safely and looking great.
I was thinking Res 12 shirt seemed appropriate, but I bought a Kano Foundation polo at Wimbledon CSC last week and then Jock Stein arrived.
I don’t know what to wear!!!
oh the rangers are shi*e
oh the rangers are shi*e
THE EXILED TIM on 28th April 2017 6:23 pm
TET
does that mean that rangers have been granted their Euro licence?
Where did you get that list?
TET
its ok I see it :)
Mags
They were always gonna get a licence, it’s scotland ffs
HH
why did ICT not get a license?
I wonder why ICT were refused and rangers not?