Persistent poor performances

173

For the third time in a month, Celtic lost three goals in a game to Scottish opponents.  This is not a one-off, it is not a consequence of misfortune, poor refereeing, or injuries.

With 20% possession, Dundee can consider themselves unfortunate that a late penalty denied them the win.

You and I have discussed the need for Brendan to sort things. He is a fortunate general, his domestic opponents have both capitulated and the two crucial games ahead are at home. Not that will dissuade Kilmarnock or Young Boys. The manager has work to do.

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  1. The Battered Bunnet on

    I used to have an Austin Montego. It wasn’t terribly reliable and it had virtually no corrosion protection. Austin Rusty.

  2. You and I have discussed the need for Brendan to sort things. He is a fortunate general, his domestic opponents have both capitulated and the two crucial games ahead are at home. Not that well dissuade Kilmarnock or Young Boys. The manager has work to do.

     

    ———-

     

    Paul, you say the manager has work to do, but is it not the players that must get back on track. They seem to be taking it in turns to fall below the standards that they have set earlier in the season.

     

     

    Our position highlights that we are doing most things right, however, apart from Kasper, all our players are throwing a wobbly in every other game – they all decided to act in unison at Ibrox.

     

     

    Last night we should have had a three goal lead at the break – it was individual errors that led to a shortage of goals and a loss of goals.

     

     

    Of course the manager carries the can – but what do you believe that he’s doing wrong. HH

  3. I have noticed that when teams have a go instead of defending we find it hard to cope when they start to attack ,I seen it last night especially CCV and Rusty that is worrying,I have said a few times our defence really needs a upgrade,and I’ll ask again is Nawrocki that bad he isn’t the first team squad

  4. We were very good for most of the first half, but should have been three up. Idah needs to be more tenacious. Trusty needs to stop grappling with opponents at corners. Just win the ball, son.

  5. bournesouprecipe on

    ‘Celts go 16 clear’

     

     

    Perfectly summed up by Brendan Rodgers on Celtic TV, he saw the same things as we did. He’s probably too professional to be as ‘upset’ as some of the usual TV armchair experts.

     

     

    Mildly surprised but not concerned the starting line up, which can sometimes seem to crossover between rotation and tinkering. Any Celtic side BR puts out should swot Dundee – right? Managers might see this as a vulnerability too, in their team talk and plan, playing your strongest eleven as opposed to resting and protecting due to heavy schedules must remain an option. It’s a team game and you need a best team scenario, three points are three points.

     

     

    No blaming dreary Dingwall or it’s less than perfect pitch, Dens is bigger and wider, perfect for a passing Celtic side. A settled (at least for two consecutive games) best midfield is now required. Plucking Paulo Bernardo from his Ibrokes hook, didn’t come off, not the best finisher to start with, he’s an easy critique among, loads from last night. Chance taking is one thing, poor decisions are another. Arne Engels who’d previously MOM’d was curiously left on the bench, when every next game should be the most important, Dundee possibly weren’t?

     

     

    It showed in a first half where Adam Idah managed his fresh air touch technique with only the keeper to beat, the rest of his night went by without a set of jump leads. A breakaway goal made Celtic look shabby, till we took the lead again, only to rinse and repeat twice more. Brendan got a wake up call of why he’d previously omitted Aaron Trusty whose handbags and hissy fits directly cost two avoidable goals.

     

     

    Calum McGregor rotation immune, had another scampering night to forget, Luke McCowan seemed hooked for hook sake, and when you see formless Luis Palma you already know, we’re down to the bare bones. Greg Taylor now is running out of contract and steam, he gave us another glimpse of the Barca kid who actually looked more heavy legged than wee Greg going off after his remarkable 200th. Reo Hatate also from the bench with Engels couldn’t pick up where others should have left off, Arne at least found a new nickname, EngPen.

     

     

    The state of Sevco has got an awful lot to answer for, including potential Celtic complacency Brendan’s a busy bhoy, hopefully with ins not just the outs, in this window. Sold and loaned out, a shed load of players by window four has BR, but if Carter Vickers gets injured soon, suddenly Scales & Trusty superb against Atalanta, on current form could be looking more Mortimer & Whitehouse?

     

     

    We do have a best keeper, with a few exceptions back to front but it’s too debatable or rotatable depending on how you view it, and nobody has played well, up or down Tannadice Street.

     

     

    MOM Kasper Schmeichel – somebody has to have it.

     

     

    Team sheet latest…………………Daizen Maeda

  6. PeterLatchfordsBelly on

    Trusty carries a lot of responsibility for last night. However, I’m increasingly worried about how poorly our midfield is playing. I really rate Bernardo but he was very poor last night. CalMac not performing to his usual stellar standards. Reo serially careless with the bull.

     

     

    I think there are system issues that need to be tweaked. I’ll reserve judgement on how serious it is until we’ve emerged from this crazy schedule. I wonder how the game would’ve gone had Dundee been the ones travelling just 3 days after a 400 mile round trip. That gave them a huge energy advantage last night and we also looked a bit mentally jaded.

  7. TIMBHOY163 on 15TH JANUARY 2025 11:13 AM

     

    I have noticed that when teams have a go instead of defending we find it hard to cope when they start to attack ,I seen it last night especially CCV and Rusty that is worrying,I have said a few times our defence really needs a upgrade,and I’ll ask again is Nawrocki that bad he isn’t the first team squad

     

     

    ————-

     

     

    Totally understand the points you make, and like you I wonder why Nawrocki can’t get a look-in.

     

     

    However over the league season goals conceded is very good, only recently has the dam been breached substantially. I’m not too worried – all good teams can have an off period and whilst I don’t want to see it prolonged, our previous exceptional form has insulated us somewhat.

     

     

    The next three games, within three different competitions at Celtic Park, will see us right – the warning will be heeded. HH

  8. We have not all of a sudden become a bad team.

     

    Bad teams don’t sit double digit points clear of their nearest rivals by being pesh.

     

    So it seems more of a mindset thing than a systemic or skills based blip.

     

    Still, P67, at least the blip allows you to get back on the Brendan-bashing horse.

     

    Rather than lambast the clutch of players who gaffed and blundered their way thru the match.

     

     

    Where’s Lenny’s mindset coach when you most need him eh?

     

     

    TOMLUCAS CSC

  9. The Blogger Formerly Known As GM on

    Kilmarnock’s tactics will be interesting (spoiler alert – they’ll play a similar game to Dundee with more physicality).

     

     

    The manager ignored the warning of the League Cup and got his arse handed to him two weeks later.

     

     

    I wonder if he’ll ignore last night as well🤔

  10. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    Bumps along the way.

     

     

    Brendan Rodgers has a model.

     

     

    He’s stubborn and bloody minded about it.

     

    (Isn’t every manager?)

     

     

    Relative to other tactical models it is high risk.

     

     

    The jeopardy is bleeding obvious.

     

     

    600 passes attempted with 96% success (statistically unbelievably high) means we give the ball away 24 times each game.

     

     

    If the pass tempo drops, the opposition regroup easily, we slip into a boring cadence, player behaviour becomes almost not in the moment robotic and everything slows down …

     

     

    … including player responses and reactions.

     

     

    If some of the aforementioned 24 giveaways happen in dangerous areas … and we are sluggish in transition ?

     

     

    Put simply, the opposition can easily fashion six chances with 20% possession.

     

     

    That’s when it DOESN’T work.

     

     

    When it does work?

     

     

    We win trebles and (hopefully) improve in Europe.

     

     

    Brendan won’t change.

     

     

    Having never met the man I assume his treatment of the problem is to get better, stronger players and more of them.

     

     

    Sometimes (including last night) I would prefer something more “pragmatic” …

     

     

    … but, truthfully, that is often merely a euphemism for getting your finger out and sticking it to them before they stick it to you.

     

     

    Brendan is a professional football manager and I ain’t.

     

     

    His approach until now has delivered baubles, hasn’t broken the bank, but has occasionally seen us collapse spectacularly.

     

     

    Over to him.

  11. Our opponents adapt to our system and work out how to combat it back post Leipzig.

     

     

    We don’t acknowledge this and continue with the just do it better and faster mantra v all except Zagreb.

     

     

    Several players who were playing well before start to make mistakes that are noticed. Some are punished and some not depending on levels of opposition : CCV / Taylor / Scales / Trusty / Hatate / Bernardo / Cal / Johnston.

     

     

    We don’t adapt to opponents new strategies or tactics. We carry on playing our game with little or no variation.

     

     

    Mistakes are more frequent and we all start blaming the players. Then the manager blames the players. Then we don’t have quality and then we go and buy more expensive players than the £26m we have just spent.

     

     

    The reality is we need to change our approach and develop a plan B and plan C and work on these.

     

     

    Insanity is doing same thing over again and expecting a different outcome. We are now doing this and the outcomes are becoming a wee bit too scary for my liking.

     

     

    Rangers Hibs Dundee Dundee U Hearts Kilmarnock Brugge have all had good halves against us recently. Some more than that.

     

     

    I get folk will see that as a dig at our manager. It kind of is but I really do hope he has the humility to do what he never has done much of in his career and that is adopt or develop another plan.

     

     

    He has it in him eg Atalanta and Zagreb. I hope he can work at it.

     

     

    Ps The 3 teams who have beaten us in the past 12 months are all having dire domestic seasons. Hearts Rangers and even Dortmund who lost 4-2 to the second bottom BL team last night and sit 9th having played a game more than rivals. We should not be taking anything for granted v another 2 poor performers in Killie and Young Boys.

  12. BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL on 15TH JANUARY 2025 12:23 PM

     

    ————-

     

    Yes! – Lots of common sense coupled with context and perspective – what’s not to like? HH

  13. We have turned into a bit of a spoiled bunch, myself included.

     

     

    Facts are we need a strong challenger to keep us honest. 80% possession isnt normal and doesnt happen anywhere else to ften. If balls in play for 60 mins,, that means we have the ball for 48 mins and the opposition have it for 12.

     

     

    Defenders are keepers forced to defend in fits and starts and boy does it look like it last night.

     

     

    This is the new norm for Celtic domestically. Its unhealthy

  14. We have been crying out for a left back …midfield enforcer type and proper complimentary centre half for CCV for years …they all exist …and we have the cash ….go get them …NOW …it really is that simple 🤔

  15. BOURNESOUPRECIPE @;12:05 PM,

     

     

    Yes quite…

     

     

    … my feeling is we are definitely not looking at one game at a time, maybe any team we put out should beat Dundee but the UCL is quite a different matter.

     

     

    That squad is rather threadbare when the issue of UCL class is discussed.

     

     

    The fact is – I’m not wanting to go into the game next Wednesday, without a fully fit Meada and Kuhn…

     

     

    They make a huge difference at that level.

     

     

    We may have missed them in recent games, but the cotton wool procurement may be the best investment Celtic have made in a long time.

     

     

    Thing is, can we beat Kilmarnock without them? Can we afford to risk them in that game?

     

     

    Luckily we have a fortunate General to sort it all out…

     

     

    Hail Hail

  16. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    Burnley78 – cheers.

     

     

    Was going to say same about BSR’s 12:05.

     

     

    BSR – great stuff.

     

     

    I’d disagree very slightly on Engels as a sub.

     

     

    I think the squad is knackered after the Champions League (see my previous yap about Newcastle) so this is bog standard rotation.

     

     

    Your point on Callum is a beaut. I simply can’t understand why he starts EVERY game.

     

     

    Callum was absolutely sensational against Leipzig.

     

     

    I genuinely believe he broke his body a little bit that night (the old 110% cliché) in order to get a win against a blue riband European club (or whatever BS phrase the media peddle).

     

     

    Good point too on the much maligned Greg Taylor.

     

    (I’m one of those who malign him)

     

     

    IMHO, he was by far the least sluggish of our starting back four last night.

  17. Nawrocki is too slow , same as Gustav.

     

     

    Games and complacency are catching up with us.

     

    Only worry is that the left side of our defence looks gubbed , Greg still putting in a shift going forward but defensively very poor.

     

     

    We should have too much for Killie but they’ll come out strong from the start. Had a quick check on the Swiss league looks like they’ve had a winter break since mid Dec , couple of friendlies and YB play the bottom team this weekend. Swiss league is very tight , everyone losing to everyone else , YB are 9th but only 8points off the leaders ….. suspect a few of their defeats were after a few CL spankings….. reality is they are probably better than their league position is letting on … and we’ll need to up our game to get a result.

     

     

    HH

  18. BURNLEY78 on 15TH JANUARY 2025 12:26 PM

     

     

    Insanity is doing same thing over again and expecting a different outcome. We are now doing this and the outcomes are becoming a wee bit too scary for my liking.

     

    ————

     

    With all due respect, surely what we’ve been doing this season is getting overwhelmingly good outcomes, interspersed with the odd bad result – c’est la vie.

     

     

    If we get the similar outcomes from now to June as we have had from August to January, we are in for a successful season – what am I missing? HH

  19. DARWIN @ 12:55 PM,

     

     

    BURNLEY78 on 15TH JANUARY 2025 12:26 PM,

     

     

    Glad you pointed that out… thought I was going insane for a moment

     

     

    Surely we are doing same thing over again and expecting the same outcomes but sometimes getting different outcomes!?

     

     

    Still…

     

     

    Vanquish Killie, best Young Boys and all looks good in the hood…

     

     

    Hail Hail

  20. Lullabies and Battle Cries on

    Deniabhoy,

     

     

    Please pass on my best wishes to your other half, may she make a speedy recovery.

  21. When we play on the front foot we generally control games. When we get put on the back foot our midfield doesn’t always protect our defence. Not a huge problem, only two defeats in all of 2024. But a weakness nevertheless. Alone on here I thought that Welsh could make a half decent defensive midfielder. Odin Holm too can will a ball (then again so can McCowan) but Welsh started one game this season (same as KT) and dont think we saw Holm at all, anyways both Stephen and Odin are both gone, to Belgium and the USA. So no options there. To lose a goal from our own corner is poor game management, poor organisation on the pitch, (we’ve done it to others) and that is down to our Captain, Calum McGregor. Of course if you take your chances there is no problem (Arsenal V Manchester) you win the game.

  22. glendalystonsils on

    Sky flashed up a stat early in the second half last night showing that we had in excess of 400 passes to Dundees 84 . The score at that time was 1-1 . Our passing needs to be more productive against a team sitting in . It might be worth trying the odd long ball at the risk of losing posession .

     

    Stating the bleeding obvious , it would also have helped last night if Bernardo and Idah hadn’t squandered good chances . Both players have scored good and important goals for us in the past but seem to have lost the knack lately .

  23. We’ve lately been a one paced team. Thing is when our opponents increase their tempo in the 2nd half of games we cannot raise our pace to match. por cierto.

  24. There a clip, from last night after Dundee’s 3rd goal, of BR talking to John Kennedy and, reading his lips, he appears to be saying, “Fucking weak as pish!”

     

     

    Some other posters feel he is saying, “Fucking waste of space!”

     

     

    Regardless of which is correct, he clearly recognises that Trusty was a big wimp last night.

     

     

    I expect that there will be changes on Saturday.

  25. bigrailroadblues on

    Good afternoon all from the Tolbooth. A fine day in old Glasgow Town. It always is.👍

  26. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    Darwin – thank you.

     

     

    Apologies – I didn’t see your earlier kind words.

  27. boondock saint on

    I was more concerned at how easy Trusty was bullied on the sideline by Murray for the 2nd goal. Yes,not too happy at throwing the game away and having to claw our way back, but I never see headlines here that say Persistent good performances, and there have been more of them this season than not.

     

    Yes we have become a spoiled lot. We complain about competition and when we get some, we throw a hissy fit. Fair play to Tony Doc and his team last night because after the first 40 minutes they upped the tempo and had a go. Not a good look that we get countered on our own corner kick and they go straight up the field and score. Still, our team still found a way to get level at the end. As people mentioned earlier, What must big Rocky NOT be doing at training if he is not getting a chance.

     

    Wonder what the atmosphere will be like at the bigotdome tonight??? They don’t do walking away…just parting to the sides and disappear.

     

    Keep the faith. Hail Hail

     

    Sean

  28. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    Never mind Celtic – what’s happening “across the city”?

     

    Maybe they will announce another review and we can start celebrating again. That would be certain to make Celtic so much better, after all…..

  29. PAUL67 for manager. I have the choice to ignore this blog, even though I have made some great friends through it. I think Paul67 has helped me to make my mind up.

  30. You know, Yang is getting a run in the team, McCowan is fitting in well, Bernardo is getting game time,

     

    Kuhn and Engels are not getting burned out, Kyogo is getting more of the ball and the team are creating chances. Maybe poor results recently but not poor performances.

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